Continuing education needs of registered nurses in Northwestern Ontario : a needs assessment approach / Laura Kokocinski.
Online Access
http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/1015Abstract
In Canada, there has been little progress in the
 development and advancement of continuing nursing
 education since World War II. The recent release of
 national and provincial documents, the trend toward
 specialization and the need for increased knowledge based
 on technological changes in practice, supports the
 importance of continuing nursing education and its vital
 role in maintaining the credibility of the profession.
 The purpose of this study was to investigate and
 describe the continuing education needs of registered
 nurses in Northwestern Ontario. A Needs Assessment?s
 Framework for Continuing Nursing Education was developed
 to answer the research questions. The research design
 involved mailing a questionnaire to 800 registered nurses
 in Northwestern Ontario and personal interviews with ten
 participants. Data was analyzed using descriptive and
 correlation statistics.
 Continuing education needs were defined, as well as
 the factors which influence these needs. The findings
 indicated that nurses in Northwestern Ontario were
 interested in pursuing continuing education. However, the
 majority were not currently participating in continuing education. The results suggest that geographical
 location, educational preparation, area of employment and
 motivational considerations affect continuing education
 needs and are predictors of participation. Other
 variables, such as; "valuing" of continuing education,
 the need for professional upgrading, accessible
 educational offerings, educational delivery methods, the
 variety of educational needs and the busy lifestyles of
 the nurses surveyed, suggest trends or influences which
 may impact the continuing education needs of registered
 nurses in Northwestern Ontario.
 The present study also has several implications for
 continuing nursing education in Northwestern Ontario. The
 findings indicate that continuing education must be
 recognized and valued by nurses, employers and the
 profession as a whole. Educational offerings could then
 be planned and offered in a collaborative approach to
 meet the nurses needs. The results of this study also
 indicate that further research is required to explore
 motivational orientations, appropriate learning methods,
 barriers to participation, and to investigate the
 effectiveness of the voluntary model for continuing
 education.Date
2017-06-05Identifier
oai:knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca:2453/1015http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/1015