Educational goals and objectives of nursing education programs: Topic modeling

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the keywords and major topics of the educational goals and objectives of nursing educational institutions in South Korea.Methods: From May 10 to May 20, 2022, the educational goals and objectives of all 201 nursing educational institutions in South Korea were collected. Using the NetMiner program, degree and degree centrality, semantic structure, and topic modeling were analyzed.Results: The top keywords and semantic structures of educational goals included ‘respect for human (life)-spirit-science-based on, global-competency-professional nurse-nursing personnel-training, professional-science-knowledge-skills, and patients-therapeutic care-relationship.’ The educational goals’ major topics were clients well-being based on science and respect for human life, a practicing nurse with capabilities and spirit, fostering a nursing personnel with creativity and professionalism, and training of global nurses. The top keywords and semantic structures of the educational objectives included ‘holistic care-nursing-research-action-capability, critical thinking-health-problem solving-capability, and efficiency-communication-collaboration-capability.’ The educational objectives’ major topics were ‘nursing professionalism, communication and problem-solving capability; a change of healthcare environments and a progress of nursing practices; fostering professional nurses with creativity and global capability; and clients’ health and nursing practice.’Conclusion: Educational goals in nursing presented specific nursing values and concepts, such as respect for human life, therapeutic care relationships, and the promotion of well-being. Educational objectives in nursing presented the competencies of nurses as defined by the Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing Education (KABONE). Recently, the KABONE announced new program outcomes and competencies, which will require the revision of educational goals. To achieve those educational objectives, it is suggested that the expected level of competencies be clearly defined for nursing graduates.