The educational needs of nurses working in Australian general practices.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• General Practice Nursing
• Health Workforce Development

Background:

• General practice nursing is a growing specialty in Australia.
• Nurses in general practice require specific skills and knowledge relevant to their diverse roles.
• Understanding educational needs is crucial for professional development and service quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the key educational needs of nurses working in Australian general medical practices.
• To explore barriers encountered by these nurses in accessing professional development.
• To inform the development of targeted educational strategies for general practice nurses.

Main Methods:

• A survey research design was employed.
• Data were collected using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Telephone interviews were conducted with 222 registered nurses in Australian general practices.

Main Results:

• Nurses highly prioritized education in communication skills (94.1%), infection control (93.7%), and legal/ethical issues (91.9%).
• Key barriers included lack of time due to work (21.9%), course costs (17.3%), and distance (13.9%).
• Rural nurses reported distance as a greater barrier (20.5%) compared to urban nurses (3.6%).

Conclusions:

• Identified educational needs align with current nursing activities in Australian general practice.
• Barriers to education may stem from workforce characteristics and practice capacity for financing training.
• Ongoing, tailored education and flexible delivery options are essential to support general practice nursing.