The development of Singapore nursing education system - challenges, opportunities and implications.

BACKGROUND

Singapore's nursing services and education need to keep pace with the ever-changing healthcare landscape and international trends in nursing capability development.

AIMS

To examine the development of Singapore's nursing education and to propose recommendations for its future development.

SOURCES OF EVIDENCE

This discussion paper examined journal articles, books and grey literature that documented the development of nursing education in Singapore.

DISCUSSION

There are three main challenges and opportunities for nursing education in Singapore: (1) the establishment of registered nurse preparatory education at the baccalaureate level, (2) the expansion of master's programmes for clinical specialization and (3) the need to increase nursing faculties through the growth of doctoral education.

CONCLUSION

Singapore's nursing education has made a significant progress in its development since the 1990s. To advance nursing education, individual nurses, local nursing associations and academic institutions should be empowered to develop its own clinical, education and research capabilities to meet future healthcare challenges.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY

Nurses should assume greater roles in determining their own professional and educational developments. Strategies to advance Singapore's nursing education include establishing a national body for regulating continuing nursing education and specialties certification, creating a greater diversity in academic offerings beyond baccalaureate programmes and building local nursing clinical and research capabilities within universities.