Continuing education among Chinese nurses: A general hospital-based study

SummaryBackground uing education (CE) is increasingly critical for nurses to keep abreast of rapid changes in patient care due to advancements in knowledge and technology. ive jective of this study was to explore Chinese nursesʹ perceptions on continuing education, how best CE practices meet their learning needs, and the motivation and barriers nurses face in completing CE. s s-sectional study of 2727 hospital-employed Chinese nurses from ten general hospitals was conducted from September to October 2010. Nursesʹ perceptions on CE, as well as motivational and preventive factors in CE were assessed. s jority of nurses (97.3%) attended CE activities in the last twelve months. More than 92.2% of the nurses were familiar with the value of CE. Nurses expected CE activities to take place within a five-day period and to consist of 2 h per activity. The major factors that motivate nurses to participate in CE are the desire to gain and update their knowledge of the newest nursing development and procedures, to improve their practical skills and comprehensive qualities, to maintain professional status and to receive an academic degree. Factors that hindered nursesʹ participation in CE included time constraints, work commitments, a lack of opportunity, cost of the courses and previous negative experiences with CE programs. sion e nurses considered CE an extremely important measure to further develop their professional competency. Nursesʹ actual expectations for CE and the motivation and barriers for participation in CE from nursesʹ individual, family and hospital perspective must be taken into the account in order to make CE programs more effective.