Nurse education in a specialist environment.

The curricula discussed here have been designed to promote and support the practice of registered nurses in cardiorespiratory nursing. Drawing on Benner's (1984) work, levels of practice from novice to expert have been identified and descriptors for each determined. These reflect Benner's (1984) ideas combined with Bloom's (1956) taxonomy as well as our own work in current nursing issues such as accountability and research in practice. Practice is underpinned by an academically validated theoretical programme ensuring that theory and practice are intrinsic to each course. There is a reciprocal relationship between progression in practice from novice through advanced beginner to expert and increasing intellectual enquiry and the evaluation of research. In this way a continuum of theory and practice has been recognised and an education programme from Certificate to Masters Degree level developed to promote this.