Factors associated with participation in continuous professional development activities leading to professional growth of professional nurses working in a public national referral hospital in Namibia.

Date
2018-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : In nursing, aspects such as attending in-service training, performing research, continuing professional education (CPE) have been identified as some of the approaches which influence the professional growth of nurses. Professional growth and development for professional nurses must be a fundamental part of nurses’ work environment. However, little is known about the factors that are associated with participation in continuous professional development activities leading to the professional growth of professional nurses in Namibia. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the factors associated with participation in continuous professional development activities lead to the professional growth of professional nurses working in a public national referral hospital in Namibia. A quantitative descriptive correlational case study design was conducted and the researcher targeted the total population of N=342 professional nurses working in a public national referral hospital. No sampling method was applied in this study. Data were collected with a previously validated Q-PDN data collection instrument. Data collection began with a pilot study conducted on 10% (n=34) of professional nurses in the hospital where the main study was conducted. The pilot study yielded consistent and reliable Cronbach alpha (α.848). The pilot study participants were excluded from participating in the main study which involved the distribution of a total of n=270 questionnaires. The return rate of questionnaires for the main study was n=241; an 89% response rate. The data were analysed using SPSS version 24. Pallant’s exploratory factor analysis (EFA) method was used to check the scale validity and reliability of the measures. SPSS AMOS Version 23 was utilised for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) to determine and confirm the relationships between the constructs in the conceptual framework. Results from the data were presented in tables, figures and flow diagrams. Ethics approval was obtained from Stellenbosch University and from the health facility in which the study was conducted. The study found that psychological empowerment importance factors, effort reward motivation factors, and structural empowerment condition factors, lead to professional growth of professional nurses in Namibia through participation in continuous professional development activities. The relationships between the factors in the final research measurement framework supported the conceptual framework’s professional growth associations linked to participation in continuous professional development activities. The participation in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) factor mediated the relationships between psychological empowerment importance factors and professional growth; structural empowerment conditions factors and professional growth, and effort reward motivation factors and professional growth. However, results found no significant relationship between psychological empowerment importance and structural empowerment conditions. The results provided further evidence for the importance of certification for the professional growth of professional nurses. This means that even if a professional nurse has worked for 10 years and has not obtained a post-graduate qualification he/she would not exhibit and embrace the professional growth concept. It was outlined that individual professional nurses participate in CPD activities for different reasons. Findings imply that nurses should be encouraged to acquire higher certification levels early in their nursing career, as this will have a greater impact on their professional growth. To be recognised as having attained professional growth, professional nurses must have obtained a post-graduate certification in addition to their years of clinical experience. Therefore, it would be ideal if nurse administrators develop and maintain professional nurses’ professional portfolios in order to keep tract of the staff members’ professional skills. Healthcare organisations may need to create better remuneration conditions for certified and experienced nurses to award their efforts and promote staff retention.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : In verpleging is aspekte soos die bywoning vir indiensopleiding, die uitvoer van navorsing, en voortgesette professionele onderrig (VPO) geïdentifiseer as sommige van die benaderings wat die professionele groei van verpleegsters beïnvloed. Professionele groei en ontwikkeling van professionele verpleegsters moet ‘n fundamentele deel van die verpleegsters se werkomgewing uitmaak. Nietemin, min is bekend oor hoe die faktore wat geassosieer word met die deelname aan voortgesette professionele ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite tot die professsionele groei van professionele verpleegsters in Namibië lei. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te bepaal hoe die faktore wat geassosieer word met deelname aan voortgesette professionele ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite lei tot die professionele groei van professionele verpleegsters in ‘n openbare nasionale verwysingshospitaal in Namibië. ‘n Kwantitatiewe beskrywende korrelasionele gevallestudie ontwerp was uitgevoer en die navorser het die totale populasie van N=342 professionele verpleegsters geteiken wat in die openbare nasionale verwysingshospitaal werk. Geen steekproefmetode is in die studie toegepas nie. Data was gekollekteer met ‘n vorige geldige Q-PDN data insamelingsinstrument. Data-insameling het begin met ‘n loodsondersoek van 10% (n=34) van professionele verpleegsters in die hospitaal waar die hoofstudie uitgevoer was, wat ‘n volgehoue en betroubare Cronbach Alpha (α.848) gelewer het. Deelnemers aan die loodsondersoek was uitgesluit van deelname aan die hoofstudie wat die verspreiding van ‘n aantal (n=270) vraelyste beteken het. Die terugstuurkoers van vraelyste vir die hoofstudie was n=241, wat ‘n 89% responskoers was. Die data is ganaliseer deur gebruik te maak van SPSS weergawe 24 en die Pallant Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) metode om die skaalgeldigheid en betroubaarheid van die maatreëls te toets. SPSS AMOS weergawe 23 was gebruik vir Konformiteit Faktoranalise (KFA) en Strukturele Gelykstellingmodellering (SGM) om die verbande tussen die konstruksies van die konseptuele raamwerk te bepaal en te bevestig. Resultate van die data word in tabelle, figure en stroomdiagramme aangebied. Etiese goedkeuring was verkry van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en van die gesondheidsfasiliteit waar die studie uitgevoer is. Met die navorsingstudie is gevind dat die psigologiese bemagtigingsbelangrike faktore soos beloning vir pogings as motivering en strukturele bemagtigingskondisies tot professionele groei van professionele verpleegsters in Namibië lei deur hul deelname aan voortgesette professionele ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite. Die verbande tussen die faktore in die finale navorsingsinstrument se raamwerk (stroomdiagram 4.5) ondersteun die konseptuele raamwerk (figuur 1.3) se professionele groei-assosiasies wat gekoppel is aan die deelname aan voortgesette professionele ontwikkelingsaktiwiteite. Deelname aan voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling hou verband met psigologiese bemagtigingsbelangrike faktore en professionele groei; faktore vir strukturele bemagtigingskondisies en professionele groei en beloning vir pogings as motiveringsfaktore en professionele groei. Nietemin, resultate het geen beduidende verband tussen psigologiese bemagtigingsbelangrikheid en strukturele bemagtigingskondisies gevind nie. Die resultate het verder bewyse vir die belangrikheid van sertifisering vir die professionele groei van professionele verpleegsters gelewer. Dit beteken dat al het ‘n professionele verpleegster vir 10 jaar gewerk en nie ‘n nagraadse kwalifkasie behaal nie, sal hy/sy nie die professionele groeikonsep openbaar en aangryp nie. Dit het aan die lig gekom dat individuele professionele verpleegsters aan VPO-aktiwiteite om verskillende redes deelneem. Bevindinge impliseer dat verpleegsters aangemoedig behoort te word om hoër sertifiseringsvlakke vroeg in hul verplegingsberoep te behaal, want dit sal ‘n groter impak op hul professionele groei maak. Om erken te word as iemand wat professionele groei toon, moet professionele verpleegsters ‘n nagraadse sertifisering behaal het, addisioneel tot hul jare van kliniese ervaring. Die ideaal dus is dat verpleegadministrateurs, verpleegsters se professionele portefueljes moet ontwikkel en byhou, ten einde op die hoogte te bly van die personeellid se professionele vaardighede. Gesondheidsorgorganisasies mag beter vergoedingskondisies vir gesertifiseerde en ervare verpleegsters skep om hulle pogings te beloon en personeelretensie te bevorder.
Description
Thesis (MNur)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Nurses -- Knowledge and learning -- Namibia, Nurses -- (Education) Continuing education -- Namibia, Nurses -- Certification -- Namibia, Career development -- Namibia, UCTD
Citation