There is an increasing emphasis on accountability in all public services, which in nursing is based on the desired political objective of aligning nursing more closely with the goals of health services. This study fundamentally is derived from the increasing demand for economic models of nurse education as a process within a wider economic agenda which converts inputs (example training costs) into outputs (example registered nurses). This thesis provides an understanding of student nurse learning as it occurs through nurse education programmes for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. A research design of triangulation including quantitative and qualitative measures was utilised to provide a greater breadth and depth of understanding on contrasting philosophies, objectives and practices arising trom the two different models of nurse education. The cohort included all student nurses (1122) who commenced a nurse education and training programme m October 1991 m the Republic ot Ireland (714 nurse student nurses) and Northern Ireland (408 students nurses). The findings demonstrate significant differences in regard to learning between student nurses from Northern Ireland and between student nurses from general, psychiatric, mental handicap and sick childrens, m the Republic of Ireland and between younger and older student nurses. The study does however, identify a number of key factors which emerged from all measurements and transcended all programmes and therefore appear to be fundamental to student nurse learning. These are presented as a twelve factor heuristic model of student nurse learning. The central tenet of the study is that student nurse learning is context dependent Students’ constructs of learning are dependent on their interpretation of the demands of the task, influenced by the assessment and teaching, their previous knowledge, experience and personal characteristics. It is concluded that the profession of nursing must be deliberate m pursuing quality learning in nurse education and must be determined in its explicit procurement of the type of education desirable for the futuie practice of nursing.