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Pediatric Staff Nurses' Conceptualizations of Professional Development
Kelly Horn1, Laurel Pilkington2, Phyllis Hooten3
1Nursing Department, Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center, Temple, TX, United States of America.
Journal of Pediatric Nursing
|January 30, 2019
Summary
Pediatric nurses prioritize continuing education for patient care knowledge. Motivations and barriers to professional development vary by nurse age and education level, highlighting the need for tailored support.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Professional Development
- Pediatric Nursing
- Continuing Education
Background:
- Professional development (PD) offers numerous benefits, yet its meaning is often unclear to nurses.
- Understanding nurses' perceptions of PD is crucial for fostering professional growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the meaning of professional development (PD) for nurses in a pediatric hospital setting.
- To identify nurses' motivations, perceived barriers, and valued components of PD.
Main Methods:
- A correlational study design was employed.
- Data were collected using a 33-item survey administered to 74 pediatric nurses.
Main Results:
- Continuing nursing education was the most highly valued PD component, while professional organization membership was ranked lowest.
- The primary motivator for PD was enhancing patient care knowledge; salary was the least significant motivator.
- Family commitments represented the highest barrier to PD, whereas knowledge of PD opportunities was the lowest barrier.
- Younger nurses and those with higher education (Bachelor's, Master's) showed greater emphasis on pursuing degrees and expanding job opportunities through PD.
Conclusions:
- Nurses' primary motivation for engaging in PD is to deliver safe, high-quality patient care.
- Lower rankings for committee involvement, research, and professional organization membership suggest a need for education on their importance in PD.
- Tailored strategies, considering nurses' age and education, are recommended to encourage greater engagement in professional development.
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