Exploring continuing professional development in critical care : registered nurses’ perspectives of elements influencing completion of a CPD programme in a South African private hospital group

Date
2021-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Continuing professional development is education throughout the duration of professional life to maintain competence and increase professional proficiency and expertise. A complex reality of nursing practice in South Africa is that approximately 25% of nurses working in the critical care environment hold a critical care qualification. Therefore, healthcare services have to rely mostly on novice registered nurses and those new to this environment to care for the critically ill. In this context some South African private and public hospitals initiated structured internal continuing professional development programmes to offer a way of knowledge and skills improvement for nurses working in critical care environments without a critical care qualification. A private healthcare group has offered a well-established structured continuing professional development programme in fundamental critical care nursing since 2003 to develop appropriate knowledge, gain practice exposure and clinical skills nurses may be unfamiliar with. In addition this programme has the aim to enhance safe and quality patient care as well as to avoid errors. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perspectives of registered nurses of elements that influence their successful completion of a continuing professional development programme in critical care nursing to strengthen the fit for purpose of this programme. The assumption by Knowles that adult learners are selfdirected, and is motivated by information new and relevant in their personal lives or jobs, formed the basis in the conceptual framework for this study. Method: A qualitative exploratory, descriptive research design was used by means of employment of semi-structured individual interviews. The target population was identified as RNs who participated in and completed a critical care continuing professional development programme within this private hospital group from the beginning of 2017 to the end of 2018. The accessible population was registered nurses who participated in the critical care continuing professional development programme in the Western Cape, Johannesburg, and Tshwane regions. A sample size of 14 participants concluded data saturation by means of a self-created openended interview guide. Findings: The following three themes and related sub-themes emerged and concluded the data analysed: 1. Participants perceived a multitude of supporting elements to successfully complete this critical care continuing professional development programme namely readiness to learn, support and communication. 2. Similarly elements that detracted participants from successful completion of this continuing professional development programme were experienced as obstacles intra-person and also obstacles extra-person. 3. Participants finally provided their recommendations on elements that may be adapted to strengthen the fit for purpose of this programme. These elements concluded changes to be made by registered nurses themselves internally and changes to be made external to registered nurses. Relevant literature and recommendations offered by the participants were used to formulate recommendations. Action steps for management, nurse educators and registered nurses to complete this continuing professional development programme successfully were formulated.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Agtergrond: Deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling is onderrig vir die duurte van professionele lewe om vaardigheid te handhaaf en professionele bekwaamheid en kundigheid te verbeter. ‘n Komplekse realiteit van Suid Afrikaanse praktyk is dat ongeveer 25% van verpleegkundiges werksaam in die kritiekesorg omgewing oor ‘n kritiekesorg kwalifikasie beskik. Vir hierdie rede moet gesondheidsorg dienste meesal staat maak op beginner geregistreerde verpleegkundiges en geregistreerde verpleegkundiges nuut in die kritiekesorg omgewing om, om te sien na kritieksiek pasiënte. Dit is in hierdie konteks dat sommige Suid-Afrikaanse privaat- en publiekehospitale intern, gestruktureerde deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling programme geinisieër het, as n wyse om voorsiening te maak vir die opgradering van kennis en vaardighede vir verpleegkundiges werksaam in die kritiekesorg omgewing en nie ‘n kwalifikasie in kritiekesorgverpleging het nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die perspektiewe van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges te ondersoek en te beskryf, rakende aspekte wat suksesvolle voltooiing van ‘n deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling program in kritiekesorg verpleegkunde beïnvloed om die geskiktheid vir die doel van hierdie program te versterk. Die aanname deur Knowles dat volwasse leerders selfgerig is en gemotiveer word deur nuwe inligting relevant tot hul persoonlike lewe en beroep, het die basis van die konseptuele raamwerk vir hierdie studie gevorm. Metode: ‘n Kwalitatiewe verkennende, beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is gebruik d.m.v. die toepassing van semigestruktueerde individuele onderhoude. Die teikenpopulasie is geïdentifiseer as geregistreerde verpleegkundiges wie deelgeneem het in die deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling program in kritiekesorg binne hierdie private hospitaalgroep en die program voltooi het voltooi het tussen die aanvang van 2017 en die einde van 2018. Die bereikbare populasie was geregistreerde verpleegkundiges wie deelgeneem het in die kritiekesorg deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling program in die Weskaap, Johannesburg en Tshwane streke. ‘n Monster grootte van 14 deelnemers het data saturasie bepaal dmv ‘n selfontwerpte oopeinde onderhoudsgids. Bevindinge: Die volgende drie temas en verwante sub-temas het na vore gekom uit data-ontleed: 1. Deelnemers het veelvuldige aspekte waargeneem wat bygedra het tot hul suksesvolle voltooiing van hierdie kritiekesorg deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling program naamlik, gereedheid om te leer, ondersteuning en kommunikasie. 2. Aspekte wat deelnemers verhoed het om die kritiekesorg deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling program suksesvol te voltooi, is ervaar as struikelblokke binne die persoon asook struikelblokke buite die persoon. 3. Deelnemers het voorstelle gelewer op aspekte wat aangepas kan word om die geskiktheid vir die doel van hierdie program te versterk. Hierdie aspekte is saamgevat as veranderinge intern tot verpleegkundiges en veranderinge ekstern tot verpleegkundiges. Relevante literatuur en aanbevelings deur deelnemers soos voorgestel deur deelnemers is aangewend om aanbevelings te formuleer. Aksiestappe vir bestuur, verpleegopvoedkundiges en geregistreerde verpleegkundiges om suksesvolle voltooiing van hierdie deurlopende professionele ontwikkeling program te verseker, is verder geformuleer.
Description
Thesis (MNur)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Intensive care nursing -- South Africa, Emergency medical personnel -- Training of -- South Africa, Nurses -- Knowledge and learning -- South Africa, Nurses -- Education(Continuing education) -- South Africa, Career development -- South Africa, Health facilities, Proprietary -- South Africa, UCTD
Citation