Exploring co-creation with student nurses in contemporary nursing education: A systematic scoping review

Background and aims: Co-creation in educational design and development is evolving and increasingly recognised as a vital component of contemporary nursing education. However, there remains a need to strengthen the knowledge base for this approach. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of empirical research on co-creation within nursing education and identify gaps in knowledge and areas requiring further investigation.

Methods: This study utilised a systematic scoping approach and followed a five-stage methodological framework: (1) identifying the research question; (2) selecting relevant studies; (3) choosing appropriate studies; (4) charting and organising the data; and (5) synthesising, summarising, and reporting the results. It searched the ERIC, Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, and PubMed databases to identify relevant articles, which then underwent double-blind screening, identifying 14 that met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review.

Results: The analysis identified five themes that reflect the scope and nature of empirical research on co-creation in nursing education: (1) scarcity of studies and varied conceptualisation of co-creation, (2) dominance of digital educational co-creation initiatives, (3) underrepresentation of multidisciplinary collaboration in co-creation initiatives, (4) workshops as key activities of co-creative collaboration and engagement, and (5) paucity of knowledge on co-creation effectiveness.

Conclusions: This review highlights the need for more comprehensive research systematically examining the benefits, impacts, and facilitators of co-creation in nursing education. Future studies should incorporate the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, especially within clinical nursing education, and investigate the scalability of co-creation, including its costs and benefits.