A Scoping Review of Geriatric Nurse Curriculum Systems: Evidence Mapping of Course Content, Structure, and Implementation Characteristics

With the rapid ageing of populations worldwide, the demand for nurses with systematic knowledge and skills in geriatric care continues to increase. Curriculum design plays a critical role in the education and training of geriatric nurses. Although various geriatric nurse curriculum models have been developed internationally, existing studies differ widely in curriculum structure, course content, training duration, delivery formats, and the educational theories or methods underpinning curriculum design. To date, a comprehensive synthesis of these curriculum systems is lacking. This scoping review aims to systematically identify and synthesise evidence on geriatric nurse curriculum systems worldwide, with a primary focus on curricula designed for nurses. The review will extract and integrate first- and second-level course content indicators, summarise course hours and training duration, describe delivery formats, and identify educational theories or curriculum design methods used. The findings will inform the development of geriatric specialist nurse curricula in China.