NEW ROLES FOR OLD: THE NEED FOR CHANGE IN NURSE SOCIALISATION

In 1984 the United Kingdom Central Council for Nurses, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) convened a project group whose terms of reference were to examine the professional preparation of nurses, to consider possible modifications of the nurse's role in the light of the anticipated health needs of the 1990's and through into the next century and to make recommendations for changes in nurse education to prepare nurses better for their future role. Following consultation the UKCC summarised its proposals in the document Project 2000: A New Preparation for Practice (1986), which analysed future health needs and set out twenty‐five recommendations for the reform of professional practice. Since that time, given the progressive implementation of many of these recommendations, general nurse training has experienced considerable change, a central theme being the way in which existing roles in hospital settings have been modified and new roles introduced. This article is based on a sociological study of nurse socialisation in three Welsh nurse education centres which was undertaken with the aim of addressing issues in role theory while also analysing the problem areas which will need to be tackled if the objectives of Project 2000 are to be fully and successfully achieved.