Exploring the Roles and Outcomes of Nurse Educators in Hospitals: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine trends in research about nurse educators in Korean hospitals. The methodological framework consisted of previous work by Arksey and O’Malley. A literature search was performed of electronic databases, such as RISS, KISS, CINAHL, and PubMed, from January 2000 to June 2022. Each study was collated and analyzed, and the studies’ data were abstracted into the following categories: publication year, study design, study participants, and education program details. Eight studies were reviewed. Most of the studies were published after 2020 (87.5%). The most frequently used design was quasi-experimental (50.0%). There were three studies whose subjects were nursing educators and five studies were conducted on programs in which nurse educators participated. In Korean medical institutions, clinical nurse educators have various roles, including the development and operation of programs and serving as facilitators and evaluators. In most studies, knowledge and skills were measured as outcome variables of educational programs led by nurse educators. The roles of nurse educators were diverse in Korean medical institutions. Therefore, a program to enhance the competency of nurse educators is needed. Judging from the effects of nurse educators in Korean medical institutions, it is necessary to expand the nurse educator system, and additional research on nurse educators should be conducted.