Posted: April 2nd, 2015

Nursing reading research assignment

Continuing Education in Nursing

The study discussed in the article aimed at assessing the idea of continuing professional Development (CPD). The study further sought to find what CPD means of the professional staff. The authors are well grounded on the topic of nursing, the working in the Nursing Department, TEI of Lamia with a M.Sc. The study conducted a qualitative research method (Bord, 1997).

The article admits that the patient expects the highest quality of health care which explains the fact that health providers have increased and improved the educational standing of professionals in the health sector. The article asserts that the process of continuing education provides an avenue for these individuals to take control of their own learning and development through reflection and action. The CPD has become a common phenomenon and is increasingly gaining popularity as a way of catering for health service delivery needs and the learning needs of individual professionals (Aris & Loanna, 2010). The article says that the majority of nurses face difficulties in gaining access to CPD and those that are easily available are mainly those that offer traditional formal academic programs. The article reports that a huge number of staff lacks professional updates.

Greece is given as one example where training has increased tremendously, and this can mainly be attributed to the generous finding that the European Union has been providing. The study found out that Greece was not adequately prepared for a venture of that magnitude. As such, there have been serious failures in terms of organization of the training programs. However, it is necessary to note that certain crucial steps have already been developed. The article notes there are several bodies that are helping in this process. Examples of these bodies are: The Labor Force Employment Organization (Dent & Paltridge, 2008). These bodies are charged with the mandate of implementing continuing vocational training. Lamia hospital is further used the basis of this research. The hospital is largely at the heart of Greece with 300 beds. The study collected data through the use of questionnaires (closed). These questionnaires were designed to suit the objectives of the study. This method would have been time-efficient if it was to be compared to other techniques such as interviewing. The researchers further used other methods to ensure the questionnaire remained anonymous so that the respondent would not be biased. The respondents were asked about their definition of CPD, the role in the clinical area, the advantages that CPD offers, and the number and the C-PD they had personally undergone (Muller et al. 2008).

The questionnaires were done via telephone; calls were made to the hospital manager and audience sought by the members of staff. Through this method of distribution, the research was able to distribute 56 questionnaires. The study faced a challenge as regards anonymity, but the study was able to assure the staff of their anonymity (Oppenheim, 1992). Interestingly, all the respondents were of the female gender. About 35% of the sampled respondents had five to nine years of experience 22% had been on the job between ten and fourteen years. Seventeen per cent had been on the job for less than five years while the minority, 5% had worked for more than twenty two years. The article concluded found out that nurses regarded CPD as a lifelong process but had difficulties in measuring its effectiveness. This research was conducted well, and the methods used would especially be effective in teaching us time effective research technique. The research is also great in that it provides an opportunity for the learners to learn some of the difficulties that often face researchers such as privacy and anonymity concerns.