The Impact of Continuing Education on Patient Outcomes in the Elderly Hip Fracture Population

A Medication Safety Education Program to Reduce the Risk of Harm Caused by Medication Errors

A medication safety education program was developed and implemented to reduce the harm caused to patients by medication errors, specifically errors related to the intravenous infusion of high-alert medications. Participants were required to complete two 30-minute computer modules focusing on medication safety. Changes in the climate of safety, nurses' knowledge and behavior, and the number of infusion pump alerts and reported medication errors were evaluated both before and after completion of the education program. A statistically significant change in knowledge regarding medication errors occurred, but there was no change in the climate of safety scores, the use of behaviors advocated in the medication safety education program to improve medication infusion safety, the number of infusion pump alerts, or the number of reported errors. It was concluded that there was a need for strong administrative support and follow-up to foster changes in behavior, which can lead to a reduction in harm caused by medication errors.

Effectiveness of continuing education programmes in nursing: literature review

AIM

The aim of this paper is to review the literature on what facilitates or inhibits continuing education in nursing and to identify ways to make continuing education more effective.

BACKGROUND

[corrected] Healthcare professionals have always been encouraged to update their knowledge and maintain clinical competence. The rapid changes currently taking place within healthcare systems have increased the pressure from direct care providers, professional bodies and the general public for nurses to engage in continuing education programmes. Despite a growing body of empirical research on this topic, the effectiveness and impact of continuing education remains underexplored.

METHOD

A literature search was conducted in January 2005 using CINAHL, Medline, the Cochrane databases and the Internet. Keywords used were: 'continuing education', 'professional development', 'viability of continuing education/professional development programmes', 'evaluation of continuing education/professional development programmes' and 'effectiveness of continuing education/professional development programmes'. No date restrictions were imposed.

RESULTS

Factors that facilitate the implementation of continuing education in nursing arise from individual, professional and organizational perspectives. While the philosophy behind continuing education is to encourage nurses to become lifelong learners, the learning method chosen for such programmes is often didactic in nature, as opposed to encouraging nurses to take initiative and direct their own learning. Continuing education is intended to ensure healthcare practitioners' knowledge is current, but it is difficult to determine if those who attend these courses are implementing what they have learnt.

CONCLUSION

To make continuing education programmes more effective, nurses need to have a more participatory role in their learning. A concerted effort should be made to make continuing education attainable and realistic.

The impact of part-time post-registration degrees on practice

AIM

This study aimed to identify how graduates from part-time, post-registration degree courses in nursing and midwifery perceived that their practice had changed as a result of the knowledge and skills acquired on their courses.

BACKGROUND

Despite increasing investment in continuing professional education and expansion of nursing roles, little work has been undertaken to assess the impact of graduates' skills on nursing care and clinical outcomes.

METHOD

Postal questionnaires were used to survey all graduates of post-registration Bachelor's and Master's courses in nursing and midwifery from one institution in the United Kingdom (UK) (n=60). Respondents were asked to describe how they felt their graduate skills were used in practice and if this was influenced by any factors in the workplace. Data were analysed descriptively, and by content analysis.

FINDINGS

Forty-three of 58 graduates contacted responded (74%). The majority (33/43, 77%) of respondents felt that their graduate skills were used in practice. Although most felt that their clinical practice had changed as a result of their degree studies, no practical examples of this were given, despite specific questioning. Many examples of academic and research skills acquired on the course were cited, which raises the question of whether the degree courses provided graduates with academic rather than clinical knowledge. There was ambivalence as to their perceptions of barriers in the workplace, which may have impeded the application of knowledge acquired on the courses.

IMPLICATIONS

The clinical effectiveness of education initiatives depends on the learners, the course and the workplace. To maximize the benefits accruing to patients from continuing professional education and role expansion, further exploration of the contribution of higher education programmes to clinical practice is required.

Continuing Education in Nursing: A 10-Year Retrospective Study of CE Offerings Presented by the Kentucky Nurses Association

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate continuing education (CE) offerings presented by the Kentucky Nurses Association during a 10-year period.

METHOD

Data were collected and analyzed from 37 CE offerings (N = 474 respondents).

RESULTS

Findings revealed that the majority of the respondents reported that the CE offerings were useful, stimulated them to seek further information, and resulted in acquisition of significant knowledge or skills for nursing education or practice. However, fewer than half of the respondents reported they were able to implement changes in nursing education or practice as a result of the CE offerings.

CONCLUSION

Findings supported the usefulness of CE in nursing education and practice and the need for further research evaluating CE and the correlation between CE and nursing education and practice.

The Pyramid Model: An Integrated Approach for Evaluating Continuing Education Programs and Outcomes

Recent mergers and downsizing of health care agencies have made resources for continuing education (CE) increasingly scarce. Nurse educators must demonstrate the effectiveness and sustainability of CE programs and establish the link between nursing professionalism and positive patient outcomes. The Pyramid Evaluation Model expands and enhances previous evaluation frameworks. Simple steps are outlined to evaluate CE programs and outcomes systematically and comprehensively through an impact model that examines goals, reviews program design, monitors program implementation, assesses outcomes and impact, and analyzes efficiency.

Nonpharmacologic Interventions to Manage Children's Pain: Immediate and Short-Term Effects of a Continuing Education Program

A two-group pretest, posttest design was used to test the effects of a two-hour educational program about using five nonpharmacologic pain management techniques with children on nurses' knowledge of, comfort with, attitude toward, and use of the discussed techniques. Five pediatric patient care units were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Pretest responses from 54 nurses indicated that attitude was the only significant determinant of their intention to guide children's imagery. A subset of 35 nurses actually attended the program and completed posttest responses. On posttest, the treatment group reported significantly greater knowledge of and comfort with using the techniques. Comparison of pretest with posttest responses across both groups indicated a significant increase in knowledge of and comfort with using nonpharmacologic techniques. Two months after the program, 24 nurses from both groups reported increased use of the techniques in practice compared with prior to the program.

Individualized Enhancement Programs for Nurses that Promote Competency

Working in a cost-conscious health care environment changes the accessibility to conferences, workshops and other continuing education offerings. Educators, employers and individual nurses are compelled to be innovative in their approach to maintaining competency through continuing education (CE). Greater emphasis must be placed on effectively matching CE programs with carefully targeted learning needs. This article illustrates a four-phase approach to an individualized enhancement program that incorporates job expectations and competencies. The phases are: 1) completing a needs assessment, 2) defining learning objectives, 3) assessing available learning resources, and 4) evaluating the CE experience.

Nursing care and management of the elderly hip fractured patient

1. This study examined the effects of a geriatric orthopaedic nursing education program of care for the elderly hip fractured patient on select patient outcomes using a post-test nonequivalent control group design. 2. Nursing staff of a 26-bed orthopaedic unit attended a day long education workshop focusing on common clinical problems the elderly patient experiences in the acute care setting. 3. This program provided nursing staff with sound knowledge for the provision of effective care to the acutely ill elderly patient, which resulted in improved patient outcomes and use of health care resources.

Nurses' use of nonpharmacologic techniques with hospitalized children

Pediatric nurses are often present with children who are in discomfort or pain, and are essential to successful management of this pain. Selected nonpharmacologic techniques are effective in reducing children's discomfort and pain, and thus have value in nursing practice. In a descriptive, exploratory study, 54 pediatric nurses responded to a questionnaire that elicited self-report of their use of five nonpharmacologic techniques: distraction, focusing on breathing, focusing on relaxing, imagery, and changing perceptions of painful stimuli. Content analysis indicated that (a) nurses' lack of time and heavy workload impede their use of nonpharmacologic techniques; (b) nurses' most frequent use of nonpharmacologic techniques is with children undergoing painful procedures; and (c) nurses perceive parents as helpful in implementing nonpharmacologic techniques with children. Implications for nursing practice, education, and research are discussed.