Opportunities and access to nursing careers through pre-nursing vocational education and training schemes
A scoping review
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22415179 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Marion Waite (0000-0002-9527-9475, Oxford Brookes University, corresponding author), Jane V Appleton (0000-0002-1903-3975, Oxford Brookes University), Jane Appleton (Oxford Brookes University), Anna Amiry (Littlemore Mental Health Centre), Francesca Waddington (0000-0001-8739-6009, Littlemore Mental Health Centre), Hayley Martin (0000-0002-7239-6871, Littlemore Mental Health Centre), Kathleen Greenway (0000-0003-2686-9313, Oxford Brookes University), Robert Crookston (Oxford Brookes University), Sanj Nathoo (Oxford Brookes University), Catherine Henshall (0000-0001-5659-3296, Oxford Brookes University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 912-936 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-28 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Further and Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0309-877X • E-ISSN: 1469-9486 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0309877x.2026.2638262 |
| OpenAlex | W7138840611 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 31 |
Recruitment in nursing is in a global crisis exacerbated by attrition in pre-registration nursing programmes. Pre-nursing vocational and educational training for young adults aged 16-18 May provide early exposure and qualifications to enter nursing pathways. We aimed to address a knowledge gap concerning how the schemes are experienced and provide access to opportunities for nursing careers. This scoping review followed the JBI manual of evidence synthesis.The critical information sources were healthcare and education database selection, including Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Emerald, Education Research Information Centre, British Education Index, Psych-info, British Nursing Database, and ProQuest from inception until April 2024. Data was mapped into descriptive themes.The review included 15 research papers with a population of 5171 pre-nursing participants from international contexts, including the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Finland, Norway, and Switzerland. Three broad themes emerged: ‘student experience’, ‘preparation for nursing careers’, and ‘accessibility’.Pre-nursing vocational education can enable progression into future nursing pathways. However, there is scant evidence of the impact on widening participation, ongoing or future career trajectories, or learners’ academic confidence. Further research is needed to understand the educational and longer-term socio-economic benefits and recruitment to nursing from such programmes.
Adult education · Higher education · Nurse education · Qualitative research · Vocational education · Education Systems and Policy · Global Health Workforce Issues · Nursing education and management
| Highly cited | No |
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