IN SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAMME.

 INTRODUCTION- A continued programme of education provided by the

employer, with the intension of enriching its employee with skill or knowledge
that is relevant to the positions they currently hold, or to which they will be
appointed in future is known as in-service education. It is a planned instructional
or training programme provided by an employer in the employment setting and
designed to increase competence in specific area. In health care system, these
educational programmes are often planned by the nursing service administrator.
Those programmes that are most effective, probably, place emphasis on results
instead of employee development. In-service education and training has been
defined in many ways by different authors.
 DEFINITIONS-
I. In-service education is defined as learning experiences provided in the work
setting for the purpose of assisting staff in performing their assigned functions
in that particular agency.
II. In-service education is a planned learning experience provided by the
employer for employee.
III. Henderson: In-service education and training may be in a most general sense
taken to include everything that happened to the teacher from the day he
takes up his first appointed to the day he retires, which contributes directly or
indirectly to the way in which he executes his professional duties.
IV. The American Nurses Association: Planned education activities intended to
build upon the educational and experimental basis of the professional nurse
for the enhancement of practice, education, administration and research or
theory development aimed at improving the health of the public.
V. Blackwell: Planned continuous education for people already employed by a
health authority.

 AIMS OF INSERVICE EDUCATION- The important reason of in-service

education is the continuous development of the whole staff of the school. It is
believed that by giving nurses more information thy will have better
understanding of their responsibilities. And they will improve their quality of
their nursing. It aims to develop the ability of efficient working and the
capacity for continuous learning so that one may adapt to change and
 produce profitable services that become an important tool for the health care
society and nation at large.

PURPOSE OF IN-
SERVICE EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
ELEMENT
DEFIENCIES
UPDATE IMPROVE
THE CREATIVE
KNOWLEGE ABILITY

 OBJECTIVES OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION- In-service provides nurses with

incentive to learn more, to get acquired with modern technologies, to recognise
their own resources and abilities , to burden their outlook and to increase their
professional abilities
a) The primary objective is the improvement of professional practice in
development of person as an individual and a responsible citizen.
b) It develops interest and job satisfaction.
c) It develops confidence through the acquisition of up to date knowledge.
d) It improves staff member’s chances for promotion.
e) It reduces turnover absenteeism.
f) It helps to maintain high standard in nursing.
g) It helps to observe and bring about changes in staff behaviour.
h) It helps to discover potentialities, to alert personnel to the working
environment.
i) It promotes cost consciousness of nursing service in relation to all the
other programmes.
 NEED FOR IN-SERVICE EDUCATION-The need for in-service education for
professional nurses is influenced by research and advances in health care. In the
 current health environment, the quality, appropriateness and effectiveness of
assume increasing importance. In-service education programme for nursing staff
are frequently planned by the nursing service administration. The most effective
programmes for nursing staff are frequently planned by the nursing service
administration. The most effective programmes give emphasis to the outcome
rather than staff development. If a result is considered valuable, the individual’s
participation will be active. Some hospitals have found that staff development,
personal, reaches its highest level when numbers work together to achieve a
common purpose. The increase in knowledge due to this programme goes a long
way in maintaining an efficient ward. There are two types of in-service education
programme:
1. General in-service education: These programmes are short-term learning
experiences related to topics pertinent to all staff, e.g. CPR, fire safety, etc.
2. Specific in-service education: This type of programme is also short-term but
designed to meet the needs of a particular group of staff in a clinical area.
 FACTORS AFFECTING IN-SERVICE EDUCATUON-
I. Cost of health care- Though in-service education programmes may increase
the efficiency of nursing services, they add additional expenditure to the
health care delivery system.
II. Manpower- It requires qualified human resources, which means an increase
in the human resources component of nursing services.
III. Changes in nursing practice- There are frequent changes in the programme of
in-service education.
IV. Standards- It is essential to maintain the high quality of nursing practice.
V. Organization of nursing development- It is important that develop practicing
approaches are organized well.

 PLANNING FOR IN-SERVICE EDUCATION- Planning is essential if the learning

need of nurses are to be met and available resources are to be used to good
advantage. Effective planning is required at all level:
Steps in planning process-
1. Establishing goals- It is the first steps – establishing goal compatible with
the purpose a mission of the organization.
2. Formulating- Deciding upon specific objectives consistent with those
goals.
3. Determining the course of action- Require to meet specific objectives.
 4. Resources- Assessing the available resources for establishing the
programme. People and financial resources are of particular
significance.
5. Budget- Establishing a workable budget appropriate for the
programme.
6. Evaluating: Assessing the result at stated intervals, that is, soon after
the programme or within one week.
7. Reassessing: Checking the goals and updating the periodically.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAMME-
1. In-service education activities are based on real and specific
problems of workers or patients.
2. It involves all the personnel in planning.
3. The in-services educator has developed insight and taking abilities
in all the participating members.
4. The learning principles are utilized and learning growth takes place
in a climate favouring the development of new participations that
can be translated into actual practice.
5. It is an integral part of a working programme, and time and money
etc., are provided for its proper functioning.
6. There is a participation and cooperation with the community, and
educational facilities are included in the activities.
7. The activities of the programme are evaluated continuously and
intelligently.
 COMPONENTS/ TYPES OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION-
a) Orientation- It helps the new employee adjust to new environment and
duties. Orientation influences the structure and content of learning of various
nursing groups. The goal of orientation programme is to enhance the
competencies if nursing service personnel so that employees may
continuously improve the quality of care provided to the patient.
b) Skill training- It provides employees with shill and attitudes required for the
job, and keep them abreast of changing methods of new techniques. Foe new
employees this provides an idea about how to carry out complex assigned
functions. It enables one to meet qualitative and quantitative standards; it
improves the employee’s skill in both routine and special procedures.
c) Leadership and management development- It equips a selected
 COMPONENTS OF IN-SERVICE
EDUCATION

Group of employees to shoulder growing responsibilities and new positions. Staff

should have leadership and management in order to guide new employees in
outpatient care.

d) Continuing education- It helps the employee to keep abreast of new concepts

and increases knowledge, understanding and competency. It develops the
ability to analyse problems and work with others. The international council for
nurses emphasizes the importance of continuing education for nurses in order
to ensure safe and effective nursing care through a large number of
educational programme and activities in different field of specialization.
e) Staff development programmes- To meet educational need for nursing
students, there must be provision for regular staff development programmes.
The components for staff developments are orientation, in-service education,
and continuing education including self-instruction, short term courses,
workshops, seminars and presentations of scientific papers.
 SCOPE OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION-
a) Maintenance of familiarity with new knowledge and subject matter-
One of the features of a profession is that its members regularly update
themselves of the relevant knowledge.
b) Increased skill providing-
 SCOPE OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION

 For individual difference among pupils.

c) Improved attitudes and skill- Educational literature frequently re-emphasizes the

idea that curriculum improvement is primarily a consequence of the
improvement of people. An important skill needed by all educators is that of
cooperative group work. Mastering the principles of cooperative group work is
not easy. Any newly formed group would do well to give attention to these
principles.

d) Greater skill in utilizing community resources and working with adults- An

important task of modern education is the development of intelligent civic
loyalties and understandings.

e) Development and refinement of common values and goals- One of the major
purposes of in-service education is the development of common values and goals
in the staff of an institution, a group of administrations or supervisors in any
other professional group that must work cooperatively over a period of time.

 PRINCIPLES OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION-

i. Have the organizational structure as simple as possible.
ii. Do not many things at a time.
iii. Avoid being involved in complex and long term projects.
iv. Start with those problems that disturb the personnel most.
v. Work with the personnel and give them time to glow.
 vi. Be flexible.
vii. Move step by step, from the simple to complex situations.
viii. Start in-service education for personnel in a simple and easy way so that they can
remember facts even as they change.
ix. There should be a specific approach that includes humanism, democracy, unity,
inclusiveness, differentiation, integration, continuity, modularity and
personalization.
x. There should be compliance with stated educational standards.
xi. In-service education is one of the categories of adult education.
xii. Use the specific objectives given as guidance in developing the in-service
education programme and services.
It is important to remember that:
a. Education of the educator continues all through his or her professional carrier in
a planned manner.
b. Online learning will contribute to the qualitative improvement of education.
c. It helps in meeting one’s academic needs.
d. It is an essential means for improving education.

 PROBLEMS RELATED TO IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAMME-

I. Lake of incentive, motivation and interest.
II. Inappropriate methodology.
III. In adequate education technique.
IV. Inappropriate curriculum and courses.
V. Inadequate training of teacher and educators.
VI. Administration problems.
VII. Organizational problems.
VIII. Functional problems.
IX. Lack of specific objectives.
X. Lack of follow-up programmes.

 ADVANTAGES- An in-service education programme;

 Upgrades the professional knowledge.
 Improve leadership qualities.
 Impacts current knowledge regarding equipment and procedure, and
new trends in nursing.
 DISADVANTAGES-
 It is time consuming.
 Proper planning is necessary, otherwise it is not a successful
programme.
 It disturbs the normal ward routine.
 It can be expansive.
 It is not so easy to organize