The utilisation of performance management and development system for continuous professional development of nurse educators in Gauteng Nursing Colleges

Abstract

Introduction and Background A performance management and development system (PMDS) policy acknowledges the right of every employee to be exposed to continuous professional development (CPD), and states that it is the duty of every manager to assure the CPD of nurse educators. As a significant part of the academic staff in nursing education institutions, nurse educators are also subjected to the PMDS as academic career progression is dependent on the PMDS. In-service education and CPD are mandatory and are supported by the National Skills Development Act 37of 2008. However, CPD remains a challenge in nursing, as the South African Nursing Council has not yet made CPD compulsory for re-registration of professional nurses. Purpose To explore and describe the utilisation of PMDS for continuous professional development of nurse educators in Gauteng nursing colleges. To recommend strategies for continuous professional development for nurse educators in Gauteng nursing colleges. Methodology A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach was used to obtain information from ten focus groups in Gauteng nursing colleges. Purposive sampling methods was used to select participants from the nurse educators currently working in three nursing colleges in Gauteng. Data was collected by means of interviews followed by data analysis using Tesch’s method of data analysis. Findings The following six main themes emerged as: PMDS as a cyclic approach, inadequate development, inadequate support, psychological impacts, policy related factors and suggested improvements. Conclusion The study concluded that some of the nurse educators emphasised that the utilisation of PMDS for continuous professional development of nurse educators in Gauteng nursing colleges brought positive reinforcement for their professional development, while other nurse educators highlighted that PMDS was not properly utilised and had negative implications on their development. Recommendations for nursing education and Department of Health have been clearly described.