The impact of graduate education on reading for lifelong learning

Reading is one means of achieving professional lifelong learning, and while nursing as a profession has an abundance of literary resources, the amount of time nurses actually spend reading is unknown. Previous studies found nurses who had graduate degrees, were in leadership positions, and held multiple memberships in professional nursing organizations reported increased reading time. This study examined the amount of time RN students entering graduate school and graduate school alumni spend reading as well as their primary purpose (interest, application, and commitment) for the reading.

A descriptive/exploratory survey research design was used. The Reading Activity Inventory Tool was administered to new graduate (entry) students (n = 47) during orientation to their graduate program and graduate alumni (n = 99) who were 1, 2, and 3 years postcompletion of their masters degrees. Participants were recruited from four Texas nursing schools.

The average weekly time participants reported reading professional literature was 10 hours and 50 minutes for the entry group and 6 hours for the alumni group. As to the purpose (interest, application, and commitment) of reading the nursing literature, there was no significant difference on total interest or total application among the four cohorts (entry students and 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year alumni). Entry students had a higher total commitment to reading than alumni nurses.

While entry students spent more time reading in this study, the alumni with advanced degrees seemed invested in the profession with significantly more journal subscriptions, increased memberships in nursing organizations, and consistent reading activities. Strategies to encourage all nurses to read for lifelong learning need to be explored.