Introduction

This opening chapter sets the scene for the book which is designed for undergraduate student nurses, educators, and practitioners. The chapter introduces the seven pillars of learning, which underpin the curriculum at the Academy of Nursing, University of Exeter, and which are a central component of the book. The seven pillars are applicable to undergraduate nurse education programmes everywhere and illuminate the art and science of contemporary nursing. This introduction also provides local and global context, and summarises the co-productive process which shaped this book, as well as presenting the four key themes that are threaded throughout the book with the acronym CARE: curiosity, advocacy, respect, and excellence.