Exploring ward nursesʹ perceptions of continuing education in clinical settings

SummaryBackground care systems demand that nurses are flexible skilful workers who maintain currency and competency in order to deliver safe effective patient centered care. Nurses must continually build best practice into their care and acquire lifelong learning. Often this learning is acquired within the work environment and is facilitated by the clinical nurse educator. Understanding clinical nursesʹ values and needs of continuing education is necessary to ensure appropriate education service delivery and thus enhance patient care. ives lore clinical ward-based nursesʹ values and perceptions towards continuing education and what factors impact on continuing education in the ward. study approach was utilized. g r teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. ipants e of clinical nursing staff (n = 23). s ocus groups and six semi-structured individual interviews were undertaken. Focus group interviews explored participantsʹ values and perceptions on continuing education through a values clarification tool. Thematic analysis of interviews was undertaken to identify themes and cluster data. s central themes: ‘culture and attitudes’, ‘what is learning?’ and ‘being there–being seen’, emerged reflecting staffsʹ values and perceptions of education and learning in the workplace. sions le factors influence ward nursesʹ ability and motivation to incorporate lifelong learning into their practice. Despite variance in nursesʹ values and perceptions of CE in clinical environments, CE was perceived as important. Nurses yearned for changes to facilitate lifelong learning and cultivate a learning culture. Clinical nurse educators need to be cognizant of adult learnersʹ characteristics such as values, beliefs, needs and potential barriers, to effectively facilitate support in a challenging and complex learning environment. Organizational support is essential so ward managers in conjunction with educational departments can promote and sustain continuing education, lifelong learning and a culture conducive to learning.