Continuing professional competence: peer feedback success from determination of nurse locus of control

Continuing competence programs (CCPs) are becoming required in many nursing jurisdictions across Canada. CCPs have the common goal of ensuring nurses remain up-to-date and competent in their professional practice. They often incorporate reflective practice as a tool for nurses to critically explore their practice and professionalism on an ongoing basis. Feedback is one of the strategies within reflective practice which enables nurses to increase reflective capabilities and enhance professional performance through collegial exchange. Locus of control, a personality variable, is considered as a potential indicator of how receptive nurses may be toward CCPs. For CCPs to be optimally embraced by nurses, it is imperative that professional nursing bodies address nurses' loci of control in developing, supporting, and strategizing for reflective practice, generally, and feedback, specifically.