Is our focus right? Workforce development for primary health care nursing

Effective workforce development is a key investment in producing quality health care. Service delivery stakeholders often assume that workforce development is best achieved through short clinical topic training or extended postgraduate courses; however, the views and preferences of primary health care (PHC) nurses have not routinely been sought. This study explores the workforce development needs of experienced PHC nurses in a provincial area of New Zealand.

In addition to a literature scan, two focus group interviews were held with nurses representing a broad range of PHC subspecialities. Participants also completed a brief survey regarding their own and colleagues' education needs. Nurse leaders in three District Health Boards (DHBs) and one Primary Health Organisation (PHO) were asked for comments on workforce strategies. Datasets were analysed separately then triangulated for overall themes.

Thirty-one PHC nurses attended the two focus groups. Participants noted changes to their roles in the last three years, including new areas of clinical and workforce development. Participants in both focus groups largely focused on structural and organisational barriers to PHC workforce development.

PHC nurses have priorities for workforce development that may differ from stakeholders, and offering clinical education opportunities alone may not be enough. Providing leadership education as well as career mentoring appears to be as important as clinical education and should happen in conjunction with other workforce development opportunities. This research demonstrates a need for a nationally agreed education strategy for the PHC nursing workforce.