CONTINUING EDUCATION IN NURSING

INTRODUCTION-

“There is no security on this earth only opportunity”

The world in changing, change is the most predominant social

characteristic of present age. So the change cannot be prevented. The only
hope for the future is that the change may be directed by a bold and
resolute education. In this present dynamic age, institutions must be
sensitive to changing social demands and intelligent about them.

NURSING EDUCATION

DEFINITION

“Nursing education is a part of whole process of education which

society has made responsible for the welfare of man and society and to
which society looks for the preservation of the system values.”

ADVANTAGES OF NURSING EDUACTION

1. Clinical settings can be realistically simulated.

2. No threat to patient safety.

3. Active learning can occur.

4. Specific and unique patient situation can be presented.

5. Errors can be conducted and diseases immediately.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Introduction

Continuing Nursing education is a modern importance, it must be

future oriented, geared to the facing of new situations and to making of
new responses

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Appropriate for these situation. New knowledge is emerging rapidly in the
physical biological behavioral and medical science, which constitute the
foundation of nursing, problem in nursing must be solved by rational effort
based upon systematic enquiry continuing nursing education programmes
should be developed by nurses and conduct within nursing or in general
education system in cooperative with nurse.

DEFINITION

“Continuing education of health workers includes the experiences

after initial training which help health care personal 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 local to planned
improvement in the health of the community”

-KP Neeraja

“Continuing education is all the learning activities that occur often an

individual has completed his basic education”

- Copper

“That education which builds on previous education”

-Shannon

Features of continuing education:

 Unified approach

 Relationship with the system

 Comprehensiveness

 Accessibility for women health workers

 Integration with the management process

 Analysis of needs as a basic for learning continuity

 Internally coordinated

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  Relevance in planning

 Credibility and economic

 Appropriateness in implementation

Need for Continuing education

 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 to the needs of

service.

 Development of Nurses will occur be 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.

 To acquire specialized skills of personnel and meet technologies

adjuncts.

 Clinical specialists are needed for direct patient care and for teaching
and consultative roles to help the students and staff nurses to reach
higher level 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 individual helps to
provide Nsg services to patients.

 Nursing functions require a high degree of skill knowledge,

competence and educational preparation.

 The demand for specialized Nursing services is increasing more

rapidly.

 Planned programmers are needed to increase their competence as

practitioners
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  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 , technological innovations,

social changes are occurring rapidly and new patterns of health care
personnel are emerging to meet these needs and demands qualified
nurses are essential.

 To provide and prepare faculty who see continuing Nursing

education as a personal responsibility as well as professional and
university responsibility.

 To provide a Varity 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 Nurses.

 Recruitment function.

 Recognize gaps in their knowledge.

 To test ability to do their 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 polices and practices.

 To ensure the quality of education.

 To maintain academic standers.

 To meet educational requirements.

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Philosophy

Philosophy is a thought relating to basic belief and is based on values,

social change. Philosophy of education is always an emerging one, not a
static one learning must be continuous process throughout the lifespan,
not limited to formal courses of study. The aims and methods of formal
education are shifting to solve problems of communication, coordination in
providing patient care.

Elements

 Learner

The philosophies of continuing education recognize the learner as a nurse,

as a human being and as a citizen the two main aspects are-

Diversity is a part of learning process and contribute to the development of

individual . So the teacher has to make the learner to involve in Nursing and
non Nursing courses eg. Music, Dance etc.

It amis as self directed learning.

 Teacher/Nurse educator

 Teacher should act as a role model.

 The teacher is a dispenser of wisdom and knowledge guide in the

learning process .

 The skillful teacher has to be aware of difference in learning.

Role of continuing educator

 Guide and counselor to the learner.

 An arranger and organizer to the learning experience.

 Motivator and encourager of students

 Evaluator of programmas

 Producing institutional material

 Administrative role

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  Public relation role to change the image of Nursing.

PRINCIPLES OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

 Provision for school and Nursing faculty involvement in planning and

teaching and to maintain the high educational standards for the
programme.

 An adequate staff is essential for planning, implementing and

evaluate a programme which is based on learning needs and which
has an impact on quality of nursing care provided.

 Staff services are required with sufficient talents and number to

implement the planned programme.

 Advisory

 Secretarial

 Administrative

 Supportive

 An advisory committee has to be appointed which include

- Faculty members from a verity of nursing practice.

- Directors of hospital Nsg. Services

- Representative from the state licensing authority

- Extended care facilities

- Hospital Association

- Medical and allied health association professionals

 Continuing Nursing education programme may be decentralized or

centralized.

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 - Decentralized (i.e. faculty of an academic department would initiate,
plan, implement and evaluate its own programme of continuing
education) is characterized by programming within each academic
department , faculty involved is consultation and surveys with the
public interested in their subject field were most knowledgeable
about the needs for continuing Nsg. Education.

- Centralization (a. seperate department or extension division is

responsible for the continuing Nsg. Education- programme of the
entire university) is characterized by a separate department or
extension demission.

PLANNING FORMULA INCLUDES

What is to be done ?

Why it is necessary ?

How it is to be done ?

Were it is to be done ?

When it is to be done ?

Who should to the job ?

STEPS IN PLANNING PROCESS

 Establish Goal

Goal is defined as the ultimate desired state towards which objectives and
resource are directed. This include –

 What is to be attained

 The extent to which it is to be attained

 The population or section of environment involved

 The length of the time required.

 Decide upon specific objectives

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 Objectives must be established at all level down to the smallest
organizational unit . The objectives may be short term and long term. There
are not only a guide to action, but also a yard stirk to measure work after it
is done.

 Determine the cause of action

The course of the planned action should be predetermined, eg. Post

graduation course of two year duration .

 Assessing available resources

Before planning for a continuing education educator or organization should

assess the available recourses.

 Establish a workable Budgat

There should be enough fund for the good running programme. So

establishment of workable budget is also a very important step.

 Evaluate results

The purpose of evolution is to assess the achievement of stated objective of

the programme, its adequacy, its efficiency and its acceptance by all parties
involved. Evaluation is mostly concerned with final outcome and with
factor associated with it.

 Reassessment of goals and updating of plans.

PRACTICAL AND VOCATIONAL NURSING EDUCATION-

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Practical Nursing programs were established to teach graduates to give
bedside Nursing care to patients school for practical Nursing programmes
are located in vareed settings, such as high schools. Technical or vocational
schools, community colleges, and independent agencies. Most programme
are one year programme divided into one – third class- room houses and
two- thirds clinical laboratory houses on completion of the programme,
graduates can take the National Council licensure examination (NCLEX-
PN) for licensure as a licensed practical Nurse (LPN) LPNs work under the
direction of a physician or RN to give direct care to patients, focusing on
meeting health care needs in hospitals, Nursing home and home health
agencies.

Registered Nursing education-

There primary types of educational programmes lead to licensure as a RN

 Diploma

 Associate degree

 Baccalaureate Programmes

Graduates of all three programmes take the NCIEX-RN examination

although it is a national examination. It is administered by and the Nurse is
licensed in each state. It is illegal to practice Nsg unless one has a license
verifying completion of an accredited (by state) program in Nursing and
has passed the licensing examination . Nurses gain legal rights to practice
Nsg in another state by applying to that state board of Nsg and receiving
reciprocal licensure.

 Diploma in Nursing-

Many nurses practicing in the united states received their basic Nsg
education in a three year , hospital based diploma school of Nursing . The
first schools of Nsg established to educate Nurses were diploma
programmes, and until the 1960, they were the major source of graduates.
In recent years the number of diploma programs has decreased greatly .

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Graduates of diploma programs have a sound foundation of the biologic
and social sciences with a strong emphasis on clinical experience in direct
patient care. Graduates work in acute, long term and ambulatory health
care facilities.

 Associate degree in Nursing-

Associate degree Nursing (ADN) education is based on a researches project

that was carried out by milded Montag in the 1950 s. At that time there was
a shortage of Nurses and project was created to meet the needs of society
by preparing Nurses in less time then was required in diploma programs.
The emphasis of this type of program was education rather than service.

Currently, most associate degree programms are in community or junior

colleges. These two years educationtional programs attract more men,
mare minorities, and more nontraditional students than do the other types
of programs. Associate degree education prepares nurses to give care to
patients in various settings, including hospitals, long term care facilities,
and home health care settings. Graduates of these programs are technically
skilled and well prepared to carry out Nsg roles and functions.
 BACCALAUREATE IN NURSING (B.Sc.Nsg)-

Most graduates receive a bachelor of science in nursing. Recommendation

by national Nsg. Organization that the entry level for professional practice
be at the baccalaureate level has resulted in increased number of these
programs .Although B.Sc. (N) practice in a wide variety of settings, the 4
year degree is required for many administrative , managerial & community
health position .

B.Sc. Nsg programs , the major in nsg is built on a general

education base, with concentration on nursing at the upper level . The
students acquire knowledge of theory & practice related to nsg & other
disciplines , provide nsg care to individuals & groups , work with member
of health care team , use research to improve practice & have a foundation
for graduate study .The nurses who graduate from a diploma or associate
degree program & wish to complete requirement for a B.Sc.(N) may choose
to enroll in a RN to B.Sc.(N) program or may complete requirement through
an external degree program . The usual degree awarded is a bachelor of
science in nursing .

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GRADUATE EDUCATION IN NURSING-

The 3 level of graduate education in nursing are the-

Master’s degree in nsg. 2. M.Phil in nsg

3.Doctoral degree in nsg

 MASTER’S DEGREE IN NURSING-

After obtaining B.Sc. degree in nursing , a nurse can pursue further

education in any number of graduate fields , including nursing .A nurse

completing a graduate program can receive the degree of master of arts

(MA) in nursing , Master in nursing (MN),or Master of science in nursing

(M.Sc. Nsg) The graduate degree provides the advanced clinician with

strong skills in nursing science & theory with emphasis in the basic

science & research based clinical practice . A masters in nursing can be

valuable for nurses seeking roles of nurse educator , clinical nurse

specialist , nurse administrator or nurse practitioner.

MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY PROGRAMME IN NURSING-

In 1980 RAK College of nursing started an M.Phil programmme as a

regular & part time course since then several universities started taking

student for M.Phill course in nursing .

PHILOSOPHY-

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 Nsg shares with the whole university a main focus of preparing its

students for service & assisting them to achieve a meaningful philosophy

of life . The student is encouraged to develop judgment & wisdom in

handling knowledge & skill and achieve mastery of problem solving &

creative skill

OBJECTIVES:

 To strengthen the research foundation of nurses

 For encouraging research attitudes & problem solving capacities .

 To provide basic training required for research in understanding doctoral

work

DURATION:-

Duration of the full time M.Phill course will be one year & part time course will

be two year.

DOCTORAL PREPARATION Professional doctoral programme in nursing

emphasize on the application of research findings to clinical nursing . Other

programme emphasize more basic research & theory & award the degree of

doctoral of philosophy (Ph.D) in nursing . The need for nurses with doctorate

degree in nursing is rising .Expanding clinical roles , new areas of nursing such

as nursing information , & rapidly advancing technology are just a few reason

for increasing the number of doctorally prepared nurses .

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SUMMARY

Continuing education is all the learning activities that after the individual
have completed his basic education which helps to ensure safe & effective
nursing care & professional growth which helps to develop knowledge of
advance technology in nursing. The future of nursing lie & not in or with
the leaders of past or present but with today’s & tomorrows nursing
students.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Neeraja K.P. (2003) “Textbook of Nursing Education”, 1st Edition, Jaypee

brother’s medical publishers (P) Ltd. (PP- 197 – 201).

2. Basvanthappa B.T. (2009) “Nursing Education” 2nd edition, Jaypee

brother’s medical (P) Ltd. (PP – 266,301-304)

3. CLINICAL TEACHING NURSING EDUCATION, 2ND EDITION,

PAGE NO. 100 – 112.

4. TEXT BOOK OF NURSING EDUCATION, 2ND EDITION,

D. ELAKKUNANA, BHASKARA RAJ, NIMA BHASKAR,

PAGE NO. 32 – 38.

5. NURSING EDUCATION PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS, R. SUDHA,

JAYPEE, PAGE NO. 34 -36.

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