Objective To analyze the research hotspots and development trends in nursing education evaluation literature. Methods Literature on nursing education evaluation published from 2016 to 2024 were retrieved from the CNKI and Web of Science databases. CiteSpace 6.3.R1 software was used to analyze the number of published papers，as well as keyword co-occurrence，clustering，and burst detection. Results A total of 705 Chinese articles and 562 English articles were included. From 2016 to 2024，the annual number of published English literature showed an overall fluctuating upward trend. In contrast，the annual number of published Chinese literature peaked in 2019，followed by a continuous downward trend，and stabilized somewhat in 2024. Chinese literatures focused on educational forms and educational reforms；English literatures paid more attention to the cultivation of nursing competencies，with the evaluation perspective shifting from “teacher-centered” to “student-centered”. Both Chinese and English literatures emphasized the empowerment of information technology in nursing education evaluation，but there were significant differences between the two in specific applications and evaluation priorities. Conclusion Nursing education evaluation in China should cover basic knowledge，professional skill practice，and comprehensive competencies. It should be driven by nursing practice and best evidence，with a core focus on technology empowerment，humanistic cultivation，and interdisciplinary integration. Relying on the advancement of information technology，critical thinking，humanistic literacy，and other elements should be timely incorporated into the nursing education evaluation system.