The Commitment to Excellence: Understanding Nurses' Perspectives on Continuous Professional Development.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Workforce Competency

Background:

• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is vital for nurses to stay current in healthcare.
• Understanding nurses' attitudes, motivations, and challenges regarding CPD is essential for effective professional growth.
• Existing research highlights the need to explore how workplace factors influence CPD engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine nurses' perspectives on Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
• To investigate factors influencing CPD participation and motivation, including workplace, role, and employment status.
• To identify specific challenges and facilitators for nurses engaging in CPD.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 151 nurses at University Hospital Centre Split, Croatia.
• Data collected using the
• Professional Development of Nurses questionnaire (Q-PDN)
• Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson's correlation, ANOVA, and t-test.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported an average participation level of 4.27 (±0.63) in CPD activities.
• Significant differences in CPD engagement were observed between surgical/intensive care units and other departments.
• Nurses in managerial roles perceived CPD's importance for professional development more highly than non-managerial staff.

Conclusions:

• Nurses demonstrate a strong commitment to CPD, with notable variations based on job roles and employment type (full-time vs. part-time).
• The findings highlight the necessity for developing role-specific and adaptable CPD strategies to meet the diverse needs of the nursing workforce.
• Optimizing CPD programs can enhance overall professional competence and healthcare outcomes.