Comparative Study of the Educational Program of Military Nursing in Iran, USA, India

In order to promote military nursing education in Iran, it is necessary to conduct comparative studies and use the strategies experienced in universities in other countries. The present study has a descriptive and comparative comparison of military nursing education programs in three countries: Iran, the United States and India.

A comparative and descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2020. Data were collected by searching the Internet in military universities of Iran, USA and India, with the keywords of military nursing, nursing education, curriculum and reviewing the history and curriculum elements of these universities. Beredy model was used for comparative study and the educational systems were analyzed in four stages of description, interpretation, proximity and comparison.

Military nursing education systems in all three countries are based on the basic knowledge of the nursing profession and are presented with a military approach. Its main structure includes vision, mission, goals, admission criteria, training strategies and student evaluation. The mission of the educational program in India and Iran is based on providing humanitarian services in critical situations and the health of human societies, but in the United States it is based on global excellence and leadership. The predominant approach in the curriculum in the United States and India is to pay attention to cultural differences, teamwork and team-based training, providing optional units and flexibility of training units, but in Iran is the development of professional and Islamic ethics, individual-centered training, and development organizational capabilities. In the United States and India, specialization in military nursing is tailored to the needs of the air, naval, and ground forces, but in Iran, military nursing training is more general and more responsive to crisis and war situations.

Based on the findings, the military nursing training program in Iran has high quality and scientific validity in the theoretical dimension, but in terms of student admission, educational needs assessment, development of learner competency assessment tools, accreditation of educational content and specialization (appropriate to the needs of air, naval and ground units) needs to be revised, improved and upgraded.