QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS FOR NURSE EDUCATORS

This paper seeks to examine two systems designed for thinking about an d improving the understanding of quality assurance in nurse educator f unctions, using Total Quality Management (TQM) principles. The first s ystem is concerned with what needs to be done to realise major goals a nd objectives. The design parameters, adapted from established quality concepts, are those quality characteristics specifically associated w ith nurse educator functions - perceived as a set of services. The sec ond system considers how things should be done. How policy statements can be translated into specific educator behaviours and practices that publicly assert institutional values to student customers within a pr ocess of continuous quality improvement. Further sections look at the integrated working of the systems and discuss system implications. A f inal summary exhorts nurse educators to forge closer working relations hips with their student customers to fashion a quality service.