International collaboration for developing graduate education in China

doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2004.08.006

Nursing Outlook

Volume 53, Issue 1, January–February 2005, Pages 15-20

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2004.08.006 Get rights and content

The rapid expansion of China's influence on the world stage underscores the significance of nursing education and practice development. From collaborative models with other universities, nursing leaders in China are moving towards development of their own models that merge the uniqueness of Eastern philosophy with elements of Western models. Qualified nurse leaders are increasingly replacing physicians as faculty while nursing comes of age in a time of change and advancing knowledge. This article describes the outcomes of 2 projects to develop graduate nursing education in China, launched by the China Medical Board within the context of early Chinese nursing education history. The 2 programs produced a total of 88 new Masters of Science in Nursing, signaling a new generation of Chinese nursing leadership and posing a model for international partnership.

Section snippets

Historical influence on development

Much of the early history of nursing in China is well-documented by Chang¹ and Dirschel,² beginning in Fuzhou when Western missionaries introduced modern nursing to China³ with the opening of a 3-year hospital based program in 1888.⁴ In 1920, the USA's Rockefeller Foundation developed the first baccalaureate nursing program at Peking Union Medical College (PUMC).⁵ It remained the only 5-year post-high school program for decades. There were no graduate nursing programs in China in this era.

New partnerships to advance nursing education

As the borders to China increasingly opened to exchange, the China Medical Board (CMB) of New York became a driving force in advancing nursing education. The CMB evolved from the Rockefeller Foundation to improve health care in the Far East by supporting medical education.⁹ Realizing nursing must be developed commensurate with medicine to change health care outcomes, the CMB added funding to previous grants for medical education to support nursing in the 8 top-ranked Chinese medical

Survey of the influence of the two programs

The COGNE and POHNED programs are a critical part of nursing's rich history in China. Though there were 5 master in nursing programs in China by 1998,¹¹ none have produced the number of graduates to compare with these 2 historical programs that gave impetus to further growth. Graduates are employed throughout China in schools and hospitals, helping change the profession and warranting examination of the impact on their careers. A survey was distributed to participants using convenience sampling

Discussion

Examination of the impact of the COGNE program is limited by the small number of graduates who returned to China. Participants in the COGNE program traveled to the USA, leaving behind family and friends. Their success was somewhat dependent on their ability to adapt to a new country and a new way of life with freedom of movement in an era when China carefully regulated travel. The socialization may have unwittingly contributed to the low return rate. There were unconfirmed reports that some

Implications

To achieve the goals of the profession, there are issues related to access, structure, and levels of nursing education programs in China. First, developing accessible higher nursing education programs with flexible schedules is essential to provide upward mobility of working staff nurses through updated knowledge and higher degrees. Most nurses in staff positions are graduates of secondary schools and face unprecedented challenges in attaining continuing education. Secondly, masters in nursing

Conclusions

The change sweeping through China's nursing education programs matches swift social and economic shifts evident throughout this rapidly developing country. The COGNE and POHNED programs are significant events in the history of nursing in China with a pyramid effect on nursing care delivery and, ultimately, the well-being of the people as nurses have increasingly prominent roles in the health care delivery system and increased visibility, tightening the gap with nursing development around the

Gwen Sherwood is a Professor and Executive Associate Dean at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, Houston, TX.

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Gwen Sherwood is a Professor and Executive Associate Dean at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, Houston, TX.

Huaping Liu is an Associate Dean of Research at Peking Union Medical College, Beijing.

View full text

International collaboration for developing graduate education in China

Section snippets

Historical influence on development

New partnerships to advance nursing education

Survey of the influence of the two programs

Discussion

Implications

Conclusions

Missionaries and the early development of nursing in China

Nurs History Review

The young pioneers: first baccalaureate nursing students in the People's Republic of China

J Adv Nurs

Anna Wolf's dream: establishment of a collegiate nursing education program

IMAGE

The nursing education system in the People's Republic of China : evolution, structure and reform

International Nurs Review

Nursing in the People's Republic of China

J Transcultural Nurs