P Pearcey | PubMed Health

PubMed1999

Continuing education in nursing: a review of the literature.

The literature concerning continuing professional education (CPE) in nursing will be reviewed, with an emphasis on the experience of CPE in the United Kingdom (UK). The reviewed literature will cover aspects of the implementation of CPE, including motivational factors, needs analysis and outcome evaluations, and in addition CPE in the UK will be set in its socio-political context. The literature shows a fragmented, inequitable and poorly funded provision of CPE to date in the UK. The literature has not shown the cyclical nature of CPE, suggesting that a more holistic approach to educational research is needed. There continues to be a lack of research showing the impact of CPE on patient care. If this is not remedied it may be difficult to justify future expenditure of public funds on CPE for nurses.

Education, Nursing, Continuing↗

PubMed1996

Using the diffusion of innovation model to influence practice: a case study.

There continue to be suggestions within the nursing literature that research findings are not being utilized in clinical practice. The reasons for this are well documented. However, less emphasis is given to ways to facilitate utilization. It seemed possible that non-utilization could be due not only to lack of knowledge, but also to the method of implementing change towards research-based practice. The "top-down', authoritarian, approach to dissemination of information within the NHS may have been a block to research use. Could staff be motivated to consider research-based change through use of a different approach? An "action research' approach seemed a possible way to attempt to facilitate research-based practice. Within this study one ward was used with all staff as the participants. The staff identified the area to be studied (devising a protocol for preoperative information-giving). The instruments used were semi-structured interviews and informal discussions and field notes. Rogers' diffusion of innovation model was used to organize data collection and to analyse results. Although the results may not be generalizable, the use of this model provides a useful framework for others interested in an alternative approach to achieving research-based practice.

Clinical Nursing Research↗