An investigation of nurse education service models in acute care metropolitan hospitals across Australia.

This paper outlines a study that was undertaken to investigate the different nurse education service models being utilised in acute care metropolitan hospitals across Australia with a view to make recommendations for future nurse education service delivery within healthcare organisations. This research study used a mixed methods approach comprising three phases. Phase one involved interviews and focus groups with nurse educators at one tertiary teaching hospital in Perth, Western Australia (WA). Phase two involved focus groups and interviews with nurse educators and coordinators of nurse education services in acute care metropolitan hospitals in W.A. Phase three of the study consisted of the development of a survey tool from the findings of the previous phases and a national survey of nurse educators in acute care metropolitan hospitals across Australia. The findings of this study demonstrate that a centralised nurse education service model undertakes more functions than, and delivers significant advantages over, the decentralised and combination models.