Abstract:
The public’s demand for competent and safe health care obligates the profession to
meet the challenges of high quality care with current knowledge and skills. The
maintenance of competence and the participation in continuous professional
development (CPD) has firmly been established as a professional standard with the
purpose of ensuring the safety of the public. The enhancement and maintenance of
knowledge and skills can be obtained through participation in CPD programmes.
Despite the importance of CPD, not many critical care nurse practitioners avail
themselves of the opportunity to attend CPD programmes.
The overall aim of this research was to reach consensus regarding the reasons for the
unsatisfactory attendance of a CPD programme developed for critical care units in a
private hospital in Gauteng. A consensus methodology was used to involve the critical
care nurse practitioners in planning and prioritising strategies for a future continuous
professional development programme. Using the nominal group technique the critical
care nurse practitioners reflected on their experience related to the current CPD
programme and provided inputs and ranked priorities. Fourteen critical care nurse
practitioners participated in the nominal group session.
Consensus was reached regarding five priorities that should be implemented as
strategies to enhance attendance of future CPD programmes. In rank order these
priorities were communication, continuous professional development, clinical training,
time constraints and financial implications. A central theme “attitude” was included as
attitude has a powerful effect on all of the above mentioned priorities. In conclusion the
study focussed on identifying and discussing the reasons for unsatisfactory attendance
of a CPD programme. Based on the reasons identified priorities were set and strategies
were collaboratively developed to enhance future attendance of a CPD programme.
