Enhancing dermatology nursing education in Scotland and Ireland: a multifaceted approach

The purpose of the National Dermatology Improvement Project was to identify the educational requirements of dermatology nurses and understand factors impacting the uptake of education for nurses. An educational needs analysis was performed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of current and future educational provision for all levels of nursing staff. Data were collected from department managers using questionnaires and interviews, and focus groups were held with nursing staff in bands 2-7. The majority of participants felt there was an overall lack of dermatology education, and that most of what was available was peer led and experiential. A number of barriers to the uptake of education were also identified, such as a lack of time, opportunity and motivation. These findings support the need for a nationally coordinated programme of dermatology education with formal and informal education provided for all levels of dermatology nursing staff.