Challenges Facing Nurses While Participating in Continuing Professional Development: A Case of Western Kenya

Abstract

Background: The context of work for nurses is rapidly changing due to changes in care, innovative technologies, and emergence of new knowledge. Participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in many countries in Africa remains low. Objective: The objective of the study was to explore the challenges facing Nurses while participating in CPD in Western Kenya. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed where 235 stratified and randomly selected nurses and four CPD Coordinators from four County Hospitals in Western Kenya were selected. The Key informants and the respondents for Focus Group Discussions were selected purposively. Data for this research was collected using a semistructured questionnaire, interview schedules and Focus Group Discussion guide. Data analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS V. 20). Data was summarized using frequencies; means and standard deviation. The data obtained was presented using percentage distributions, bar graphs and frequencies. Qualitative data was analysed thematically. Results: Majority of the nurses reported staff shortage 199 (85.8%), lack of time due to heavy workload 179 (77.2%) and lack of finance 137 (59.1%). Other challenges included: lack of information on availability of CPD (35.8%), family commitment (28.9%), lack of interest (15.1%) and distance (27.2%). Findings from FGDs showed similar results; staff shortage and heavy workload were cited as major challenges hindering nurse's participation in CPDs. Key informants reported, lack of written policies for CPD, lack of available guidelines for CPD and lack of coordination with other CPD coordinators either at County level or at National level. Conclusion and Recommendations: The main challenges highlighted by nurses were:-staff shortages, lack of time due to heavy workload, lack of finances, night shift and lack of information on the availability of CPD. Key informants highlighted:-lack of written policies for CPD, lack of available guidelines for CPD, lack of coordination with other CPD coordinators. The study recommends employing more nurses, formulating policies affecting CPD and providing financial support to help support CPD activities. Coordinators should organize favorable time and space for CPD activities while ensuring equal opportunities are offered for participation and there is need for coordination with other CPD coordinators either at County level or at National level.

Cross River State experience of the mandatory continuing professional development program for nurses: A case study of the 34th session in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

“…However, this study documented 20.9% response of expensive training fees. This is in line with many studies (Schweitzer and Krassa, 2010;Fitzgerald et al, 2012;Katsikitis et al, 2013;Priscah et al, 2017), that also documented expensive training fee as their constraint to attending CPE. Some respondents in this current study suggested a reduction in cost of the program for all; while few said the cost should be reduced for just the retired nurses attending the program.…”

“…A majority of the respondents (83.6%) chose Calabar as their preferred venue because of distance from home or work place, some of them indicated that they would like a change of venue, that is, they would prefer their workplace instead of the current venue as this will make it easier for the nurses to attend the program. This is supported by the work of Priscah et al (2017) that documented 27.2% nurses and midwives had distance as a challenge to attendance.…”

“…Despite the importance of CPE, not many nurses/midwives in Cross River state and generally in Nigeria avail themselves of the opportunity to attend such programs unless they are organized in the health institutions in which they work or is organised for free or sponsored (Ihudiebube-Splendor et al, 2017;Schweitzer and Krassa, 2010). Other challenges of nurses' Continuing Education Program as shown by various studies: Being an obligatory education with poor motivation for learning for some nurses (Ihudiebube-Splendor et al, 2017), financial resources restriction (Katsikitis et al, 2013;Priscah et al, 2017), restriction in the number of clinical places, nursing school work overload which leads to lack of adequate time for educational courses, shortage of educational budget, high number of participants in class (Fitzgerald et al, 2012), lack of interest and distances (Priscah et al, 2017), time limitation and lack of workforce (Chong et al, 2011;Onyango, 2012;Schweitzer and Krassa, 2010), type of planning for Continuing Education activities, work overload and familial responsibilities causing tiredness and limiting attendance (Chong et al, 2011;Katsikitis et al, 2013), lack of satisfaction with time and schedule of the educational classes conducted, and low applicability of lectures.…”