Identifying challenges for effective evaluation in nursing education: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Although nursing education in Iran has a positive trend in growth; it is still facing with multifaceted challenges. This study aims to explore the challenges for effective evaluation of nursing education perceived by academic managers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative study was performed by using 21 face-to-face, in-depth interviews with academic managers in medical universities and at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Iran. All interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The main challenges could be categorized under 3 themes, each included 3 subthemes: managerial issues (inefficacy of management, inadequacy of policies and strategies, ineffective evaluation planning); administrative issues (inefficient and affected evaluators, inappropriate implementation, and inefficacy of approaches and tools); and structural issues (inappropriate culture, clinical education complexity, lack of alumni follow-up system). CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the need for educational evaluation development in nursing, including systematic and regular educational evaluation planning focusing on efficient feedback system and regard to excellence models. The comprehensive educational evaluation requires participation, involvement, and collaboration among the Nursing Board, Nursing ministerial office, faculties of nursing, and Nursing Organization. Thus, it is necessary to better designate current educational evaluation systems, policies, approaches, methods, and procedures.