A brief trend analysis of teaching development in Nursing Education in Cuba

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing education in Cuba has been pioneer of multiple changes implemented by the Cuban Educational Model in the Health Sciences; therefore, there has been a constant improvement of the curriculum and teaching strategies. The need to understand and know the trend behavior in Nursing education motivated us to carry out this work.

Objective: To identify the trends that show the teaching development in Nursing Education in Cuba.  

Material and Methods: Theoretical methods like systematization, logical-historical study, document analysis and the method of analysis and synthesis were used to study the teaching development of Nursing Education in Cuba. A guide for document analysis was developed, which included analysis criteria such as: teaching modalities, curriculum, teaching environments, forms and admission requirements, and the teaching-learning process.  The contents of the guide were subjected to the criteria of experts with more than 10 years of teaching experience.  

Results: Two periods for the teaching development of Nursing Education in Cuba are established: a stage prior to the Cuban Revolution, and the revolutionary stage; being evident that the most prolific stage is the revolutionary one due to the new conception of Education and Health.  From the analysis of every period, the trends in Nursing education, assumed from the Cuban Educational Model in the Health Sciences, are identified.

Conclusions: Social relevance, link between study and work, curriculum flexibility and comprehensive training, internationalization of education, use of information and communication technologies, and student-centered teaching-learning process developed from the scientific method and the quality of teaching were identified as general trends of the teaching development in Nursing Education in Cuba.