What is it about?
A commentary on how Nurse Education in the UK is being impacted on by changes to funding and the adoption of business models by universities that view Nursing Education through a prism of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Could this prism be turning students from learners into customers/consumers ?
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Why is it important?
We ask UK student nurses to develop theoretical, clinical and professional knowledge, as well as work skills and abilities in clinical practice. If the student nurse now sees themselves as consumers of a product, they may review the product and decide that other courses may be less time consuming, less stressful and lead to increased economic benefit. If this is so, then we lose the next generation of Nurses. The UK Nursing system is already short 30,000 Nurses, with an ageing population, it is imperative we workforce plan to maintain our Nursing Workforce. This comment is to encourage colleagues to review how consumerisation may be impacting their Nursing courses. Do we as a professional group- need to take action?
Perspectives
Writing this article was the result of thinking on conversations with students and staff over a number of years and noting the subtle change from student to learner to customer that has evolved over those years. My hope is that the article will encourage discussion among colleagues that have also noted the aforementioned changes.
I Chisholm-Bunting
Buckinghamshire New University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The consumerisation of nurse education, British Journal of Nursing, July 2025, Mark Allen Group,
DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2025.0312.
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