Learning Objective #1: discuss the evidence supporting (or not supporting) teaching methodologies in nursing education.

Learning Objective #2: describe a methodology for conducting systematic reviews in nursing education.

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Background: Boards of nursing in the U.S. approve nursing programs, so regulators need evidence to address minimum educational standards that are fair and consistent across programs. Moreover, in this time of faculty and nurse shortages, legislators are asking regulatory bodies for evidence to support their regulations. Therefore the National Council of State Boards of Nursing conducted a systematic review of all studies of nursing education outcomes as part of a process for identifying evidence-based nursing education. Methodology: A modified Cochrane technique was used as the design: 1) The studies were categorized for strength of design: Level I (randomized control trial, systematic review, meta-analysis); II (quasi-experimental, correlational, descriptive, survey, evaluation, qualitative); III (expert opinion); 2) Databases used to retrieve studies between 1965 – 2005 included: CINAHL, Medline, Eric; 3) Specific keywords were: education, nursing, teaching, education research, learning methods, learning strategies, research-based education, outcomes of education; 4) Inclusion criteria were specified; 5) Inter-rater reliability was assessed. Sample: 25 studies identified; 3 were Level I and 22 were Level II. Results: The following teaching strategies were supported by this review: 1) Deliberate practice; 2) Supervision by qualified faculty who provide feedback and opportunities for reflective practice; 3) Clinical experiences with actual patients; 4) Collaboration with interdisciplinary teams; 5) Opportunities to gain confidence, build relationships, and develop critical thinking; 6) Online and simulated strategies are a valuable adjunct. Conclusions: This is the first systematic review to study outcomes in nursing education. Better learning outcomes occur when students are supervised by a qualified faculty, and this suggests further research into faculty qualifications. With current faculty and nursing shortages, some programs have radically decreased clinical experiences with patients, and this study does not support that trend. This evidence supports online, simulated, and interdisciplinary learning experiences and suggests that these areas be further researched.