CONTINUING EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

Continuing nursing education is a modern imperative, it must be future – oriented, geared

to the facing of new situations and to the making of new responses appropriate for these
situations. New knowledge is emerging rapidly in the physical, biological, behavioural and
medical sciences, which constitute the foundation of nursing, problems in nursing must be
solved by rational effort based upon systematic inquiry. Continuing nursing education
programmes should be developed by nurses and conducted within nursing or in general
education system in cooperation with the nurses.

DEFINITION

“Continuing education of health workers includes the experiences after initial training
which helps healthcare personnel to maintain and improve existing and acquire new
competences relevant to the performance of their responsibilities. Appropriate continuing
education should reflect community needs in health and lead to planned improvements in
the health of the community”.

“Continuing education is all the learning activities that occurs after an individual has
completed his basic education”.- Cooper

“That education which builds on previous education”.- Shannon.

“Continuing education in nursing consists of systematic learning experiences designed

to enlarge the knowledge and skills of nurses. As distinct from education toward an
academic degree of preparing as a beginning professional practitioner, continual
professional education activities have more specific content applicable to the individuals
immediate goals, are generally of shorter duration, are sponsored by college, universities,
health agencies and professional organization, and may be conducted in a variety of
settings”.

FEATURES

 Unified approach.
 Relationship with other system.
 Comprehensiveness.
 Accessibility for women health workers.
 Integration with the management process.
 Analysis of needs as a basis of learning continuity.
 Internally coordinated.
 Relevance in planning.
 Credibility and economic.
 Appropriateness and implementation.

NEED

 To ensure safe and effective nursing care, nurses need to keep abreast with interest,
knowledge and technical advances.
 To meet the needs of population and should cater to the needs of service.
 Development of nurses will occur by updating their knowledge and prepare them for
specialization.
 For career advancement.
 Professional roles are altered as society changes and as new knowledge and
technologies emerge.
 If the nursing professional is to respond effectively, to the challenge of developing wise
leadership and competent practitioners, current social changes must be recognized and
future ones foreseen.
 To acquire specialized skills of personnel and meet technologic adjuncts.
 The professional forces like changing function of the nurse, an increasing trend toward
specialization, shortage of specialized nurses, variation in the nature and recency of
formal education preparation and the mobility of the nurse population.
 Clinical specialists are needed for direct patient care and for teaching and consultative
roles to help the students and staff nurses to reach higher levels of competency.
 Nurses with research aptitudes and preparation are needed.
 Nurses in administrative positions need to increase their understanding of the
administrative process and to design effective methods of maximizing the contribution
of individuals helps to provide nursing services to patients.
 Nursing functions require a high degree of skill, knowledge, competence and
educational preparation.
 The demand for specialized nursing service is increasing more rapidly.
 Planned programmes are needed to increase their competence as practitioners.
 Needs for additional preparation for the positions are already holding or to prepare
themselves for other positions.
 It provides opportunities for educational growth compatible with the realities of both
work situation and the home responsibilities.
 In the world, scientific advancement, technologic innovations, social change are
occurring rapidly and new patterns of healthcare changes in the role expectations of all
health care personnel are emerging to meet these needs and demands qualified nurses
are essential.
 To maintain their roles as bedside nurses and to assume more supervisor,
administrative and delegated medical functions, to specialize and to generalize their
practice continuing nursing education is essential.
 It is needed for the nurses who wish to help shape their own destiny must be aware of
the forces at work which will affect their future roles.
 To provide and prepare faculty who see continuing nursing education as a personal
responsibility as well as professional and university responsibility.
 To provide a variety of continuing nursing education opportunities of high quality to
nurses in both education and service changes.

FUNCTIONS

 To meet the health needs and public expectations.

 To develop the practicing abilities of the nurse.
 Recruitment function.
 Recognize gaps in their knowledge.
 To test ability to do final academic study.
 To improve the communication between the participants, faculty, community and
health sector.
 To test the participants ability to do formal academic study.
 To shape or support university educational policies and practices.
 To ensure the quality of education.
 To grant budget for extension studies.
 To maintain academic standards.
 To meet educational requirements.

PHILOSOPHY

It encompasses several of life and is not limited to professional education. Continuing

nursing education is concerned with the development of the nurses as a person, a
practitioner and a citizen. These are closely interrelated, but each must be considered in
identifying philosophy of education.

Nurses’ philosophy of life, nursing and education, belief, etc. will influence the
philosophy of continuing nursing education. It focuses on individual learner. Philosophy is
thought of relating to basic beliefs. Actions are guided by one’s beliefs, how one teaches
relates to his beliefs about learning and education. Philosophy provides a direction for
action; it is useful to think through one’s personal philosophy. The educator has to think
through his personal values and beliefs. One’s personal philosophy of education is
expresses not by what he says he believes, about learning, the rights of the individual and
the needs of the society are all reflected in one’s approach to teaching, this is philosophy in
action.
 Philosophy is based on values, social change. The thoughtful teacher recognizes that
one’s philosophy of education is always an emerging one, rather than a static one. Learning
must be a continuous process throughout the lifespan, not limited to formal courses of
study. Facts are more meaningful and more readily learned when there is an opportunity
for immediate application. The aims and methods of formal education are shifting. To solve
the problems of communication, continuity, coordination in providing patient care.

Nursing is based on knowledge of the physical and psychological functioning of man

within his environment, expanding the knowledge related to man and his dynamic,
proliferating fields of operation is of concern. To sharpen the judgment and an increased
understanding of ideas and values as they shape personal and social goals. To maintain
worth, dignity of the individual, compassion, care and nurture in his professional role. To
shape personal and social goals by acquiring more knowledge, sharpening the judgment
and an increased understanding of ideas and values. To develop basic nursing abilities and
new dimensions of adjustment to a changing society provides liberation of the individual
for maximum personal growth.

ELEMENTS

The philosophies of continuing nursing education recognize the:

 Learner
 As a person, as a nurse and as a citizen. Thus continuing nursing education is seen as a
totality, a sound philosophy of education recognizes all three aspects of lifelong
learning.
 Diversity is a part of learning process and contributes to the development of the
individual so the teacher has to make the learner to involve in nursing and non-
nursing courses, e.g. Music, dance, or participating in extra-curricular activities. It
encourages provincialism among nurses, benefits by learning with persons from other
walks of life.
 The learner in his life plays many different roles, e.g. adult, family member, learner,
friend, etc. for every aspect of life, there are some continuing education elements.
 It aims as self-directed learning.

 Teacher/Nurse educator:
 He has to accept the concept of life-long learning and his responsibility to encourage
nurses to recognize the value of participating in different types of educational activities.
 Educator must be aware of sources of information about related continuing education
activities, e.g. self- directed individual study, in-service programmes, formal basic
courses, post- graduate academic studies, etc.
 Teacher’s task is to help the student how to learn, how to approach situation with an
open, inquiring attitude, how to interpret what he observes and how to examine the
system of values which gives meaning to his life as adult can learn effectively, gathers
many fact, make inferences, takes action and evaluates the effectiveness of his action by
testing theories and ideas and to face an uncertain and changing future.
 Adult learner with them on the problems, they face in the world of work, the teacher
must help the learner to discover new approaches and potential developments in the
field.
 Teacher should act as a role model.
 The teacher is a dispenser of wisdom and knowledge guide in the learning process,
assisting wherever appropriate, encourages the activities that promoter individual
thought.
 The skillful teacher has to aware of the difference in learning what is already know and
encouraging exploration in those areas yet to be discovered.
 Creating teaching is essential. The effective takes advantage of the assets, which the
learner brings with him. A warm, helping, trusting relationship creates conducive
environment for learning.
 He has to show interest and concern for every member of his class.
 He is able to instill in his students a sense of their own adequacy and the feeling of
confidence of themselves, which are necessary for the learning process
 The continuing educator has to play multiple roles like:
 Guide and counsellor to the learner.
 An arranger and organizer of learning experiences.
 Motivator and encourager of students.
 Evaluator of programmes.
 Involving resources experts for teaching the students.
 Producing instructional materials.
 Select and evaluate materials prepared by others.
 Administrative role(planning, directing, budgeting and evaluation)
 Public relations role to change the image of nursing and in recognizing the
contributions and potential of nurses.

 Educational Preparation
 Master’s degree in his area of nursing expertise or with a doctorate in adult education.
 Credentials with more publications.
 Writing and organizing skills.
 A continuing learner.
 Clinical expertisedness.
 Depth of nursing knowledge and skill in its application.
 Interest in the subjects, enthusiasm in teaching.
 Skill in working with adult learners.
 Adequate knowledge about teaching skills and methods of teaching.
 Broad base knowledge.

 Competencies and other characteristics:

 Concern for people.
 Flexibility.
 Sensitive to group response.
 Willing to travel.
 Willing to travel.
 Detailed advance preparation and organization for teaching.
 Resourcefulness.
 Determination.
 Self-confidence.
 A sense of humor.
 Broader outlook.
 A zest for life.
 An innate curiosity.
 Love of adventure.
 Desire to search the unknown.
 Interest in self-development and in others development.

 The faculty administrator:

 Teaching is part of his responsibility.
 He should possess a high degree of administrative skill.
 He must assess and uses the various abilities of different faculty members.
 Search for faculty with wide varied of talents.
 Helps the faculty members to strength their teaching skills.
 Provides conductive environment for faculty members and learners to promote
personal and professional development.
 Gives adequate orientation, creating opportunities on the job which contributes faculty
growth.
 Encourages supplemental education and creativity.
 Free conducive environment facilitates the faculty members to explore new concepts,
develop imaginative approaches to help the nurses to meet their learning needs.
 Fosters the expansion of learner’s talent.
 Maintains balance between the routine and other interesting, help the teacher to realize
and accept their broad responsibilities as faculty members.
 Faculty members must accept responsibility for helping the institution meet its goals
and must learn how to work with colleagues to bring about desired changes.
 He should make the faculty members to support and abide the institutional policies by
familiarizing them.
 Adequate administrative support permits the maximum use of faculty time for their
effective performance.
 The effective administrator is prepared to meet the unexpected.
 He must guard against the interference of his own needs with good of the programme.
 Supports his faculty and accepts responsibility, encourages team spirit, working with
other members.
 Recognizes the person’s contribution.

 Motivation of learner:
 To accept personal responsibility for their own continued learning, motivator of the
learner is essential. To arouse areas of interest among the learner and involve him in
planning, designing the learning activities.
 Internal motivation i.e., the personal needs desire to learn is more effective than
external incentives like certificates, grades, credits etc.
 Expand learning opportunity for nurses which required in their work experience is
need to be motivated.
 The truly motivated person will learn without external requirements being placed upon
him.
 He learns because he has a need for the knowledge.
 For the motivated learner, difficulties encountered in the process are seen as
challenges, not as obstacles.

 Involvement in the learning process:

Learner has to participate in the learning process. Learning depends upon the
student himself. Learning can be done only by the learner. It depends upon the
effort put forth by the learner.

 Organized learning experiences:

Learner also involved more directly in programme planning and in the conduct of
courses and deciding which educational experiences and the activities are most
suitable to him.
 The needs of society:
 Quality of life and needs of society influences the learning needs of the nurses. The
critical issues facing society can be met by a concerned, well-informed citizen, who
is willing to devote thought, time and energy to their solution. Citizens are vitally
concerned and actively involved in seeking solutions to the problems faced by that
society. Adequate preparation for participation approach is essential for continuing
nursing education.
 Universalization of continuing nursing education is necessary.
 The leisure:
The individual has to learn how to use leisure time constructively, participate in
more educational activities.
 Liberal education:

Future nursing practice will place heavy demand on all health professional and that
effective, human practice requires practitioners with the insight, understanding and
attitudes which can be fulfilled through liberal education.

 Inter-professional continuing education:

It is imperative for the future; educational programmes now include course content to
open to all those in various health fields. Nurses have to accept and participate
interdisciplinary continuing education. It requires input from all professional groups for
whom it is intended.

PRINCIPLES

 Provisions for schools and nursing faculty involvement in planning and teaching the
continuing nursing education courses tends to maintain high educational standards
for the programme.
 An adequate staff is essential to planning, implementing and evaluating a
programme which is based on learning needs and which has an impact on the
quality of nursing care provided.
 Responsibilities of the director of continuing nursing education are:
 Determination of learning needs of the nurse population
 Development and implementation of a programme to meet these needs.
 Evaluation of results.

 Staff services are required with sufficient talents and numbers to implement the
planned programme.
 Advisory.
 Secretarial.
 Administrative.
  Supportive(additional supportive services may required periodically)
 Assistance with
 Research.
 Publicity.
 Questionnaire.
 Evaluation tools.
 Data analysis.
 Computer programming.

 An advisory committee has to be appointed, which includes:

 Faculty members from a variety of areas of nursing practice.
 Directors of hospital nursing services.
 Representatives from the state licensing authority, health department and
voluntary agencies.
 Extended care facilities.
 Hospital association.
 Medical and allied health professionals.
 Regional medical programme.
 Other agencies involved in the delivery of health care in the community.
 The community may serve as a liaison between the school of nursing and the health
community and fulfill a communication and public relation function for the university.
 Continuing nursing education programme may be decentralized (i.e., faculty of an academic
department would initiate, plan, implement and evaluate its own programme of
continuing education) or centralized (a separate department or extension division is
responsible for the continuing nursing education programme of the entire university).
Decentralization is characterized by programming within each academic
department, faculty involved in consultation and surveys with the public interested
in their subject field were most knowledgeable about the needs for continuing
nursing education.
Centralization is characterized by a separate department or extension division.
 Financial support is by either university grants or self-supporting.
 Faculty may be assigned to continuing education as a regular part of the
normal teaching load, but for periods they will get extra-remuneration or
non-university faculty may hired on a contract basis to teach specific courses.