Ready for practice: What child and family health nurses say about education. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fowler, Cathrine; Schmied, Virginia; Psaila, Kim; Kruske, Sue; Rossiter, Chris
• Is Part Of: Nurse education today. Volume 35:Number 2(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: e67
• Page End: e72
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Nursing -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Education, Nursing -- Periodicals; Soins infirmiers -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Nursing -- Study and teaching; Periodicals; 610.7307
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2014.11.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-6917

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="ab0005"> <title id="st0005">Summary</title> <sec> <title id="st0010">Background</title> <p id="sp0005">Australia has a well-established universal child and family health service predominately staffed by specialist/qualified child and family health nurses. Two common and interrelated concerns are the need for nurses to be ready for practice after completing a nursing education program and the means to ensure ongoing nursing competence.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0015">Objective</title> <p id="sp0010">To investigate the readiness of CFH nurses to practise after qualification and their continuing engagement with learning.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0075">Design</title> <p id="sp0020">The study used an interpretive descriptive approach.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0080">Setting</title> <p id="sp0030">This paper presents data from four questions from a larger survey of child and family health nurses across Australia.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0085">Participants</title> <p id="sp0040">1098 child and family health nurses responded to the survey.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0020">Method</title> <p id="sp0045">Qualitative survey responses from the four education questions were analysed using inductive thematic content analysis.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0025">Results</title> <p id="sp0050">Five significant themes were identified: hands-on experience (student clinical practice/placement); drawing on prior experience; learning on the job; learning (learning over time); and barriers to learning.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0030">Conclusion</title> <p id="sp0055">This paper provides insights into nurses' readiness for practice at the completion of a postgraduate child and family health nursing qualification and their maintenance of competence and specialist knowledge. It highlights: the need for clinical placement to be retained and enhanced; the significant contribution of more experienced child and family health nurses mentoring newly graduated child and family health nurses; the need for minimum education standards; the importance of reviewing education courses in relation to graduates' readiness for child and family health nursing practice; the importance of supporting ongoing professional development; and the removal of barriers to accessing education opportunities.</p> </sec> </abstract>