Development and evaluation of a new curriculum based on the Delphi method for master of nursing programs in China

To develop a new curriculum for a master's degree in nursing and provide a reference for nursing education in China. After a comprehensive literature review and item consolidation, an expert panel developed the initial version of the master's degree program objective and curriculum. A three-round Delphi study was subsequently conducted to revise and validate the curriculum. Twenty-six experts participated in the evaluation and validation process. The authority coefficient was 0.88, and the Kendall coordination coefficient was statistically significant (χ2 test, P < 0.01). The final training objective contained 9 items, covering knowledge, skills and humanistic quality. The final established curriculum contained 22 courses, including 5 public compulsory courses, 5 specialized basic compulsory courses and 12 elective courses for professional development. The present study provided an operational curriculum for a master's degree in nursing in China.