STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

❖ INTRODUCTION

Employees in organization will vary in their education, skill and abilities. Their educational
preparation will vary and some people will not have developed all of the skills and knowledge
necessary to perform their jobs at the expected level. New trends and advancement in technology
call for ongoing staff education. One of the major responsibilities of nurse manager is to enhance
staff performance, an activity usually referred to as staff development. The staff knowledge level
and capabilities are a major factor in determining the number of staff required to carry out unit
goals. The better trained and more competent the staff, the less number of staff required. Staff
development is a cost effective method of increasing the productivity.

❖ DEFINITION OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

o Staff development includes all training and education undertaken by an employer to improve the
occupational and personal knowledge, skills, and attitudes of employment.

o A process consisting of orientation, in-service education and continuing education for the people
of promoting the development of personnel within any employment setting, consistent with the
goals and responsibilities of the employment.( ANA)

o Nursing staff development describes the formal and informal learning activities that support
nurses in their roles within an organization.

❖ NEEDS FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

✓ social change and scientific advancement
✓ Advancement in the field of science like medical science and technology.
✓ To provide the opportunity for nurses to continually acquire and implement the knowledge,
skills, attitudes, ideals and valued essentials for the maintenance of high quality of nursing care.
✓ As part of an individual's long-term career growth.
✓ To add or improve skills needed in the short term
✓ Being necessary to fill gap in the past performance
✓ To change or correct long-held attitudes of employee
✓ To move ahead or keep up with change.
✓ Fast changing technologies
✓ Need to increase the productivity and quality of the work.
✓ To motivate employees and to promote employee loyalty
✓ Fast growing organizations
❖ GOALS:
✓ Assist each employee (nurse) to improve performance in his/her position.
✓ Assist each employee (nurse) to acquire personal and professional abilities that maximize the
possibility of career advancement.
❖ OBJECTIVES:
o To increase employee productivity.
o To ensure safe and effective patient care by nurses.
o To ensure satisfactory job performance by personnel.
o To orient the personnel to care objectives, job duties, personnel policies, and agency regulations.
o To help employees cope with new practice role.
o Help nurses to close the gap between present abilities and the scientific basis for nursing
practice that is broadening through research.

❖ PURPOSES OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

Advancement in the field of science including medical science and technology have
increased the demand of nursing services and improved nursing’s response capabilities. The
purposes of staff development include:
➢ To keep up to date of changing demands and capabilities.
➢ To provide the opportunity for nurses to continually acquire and implement the knowledge,
skills, attitudes, ideals and values essential for maintenance of high quality of nursing care.
➢ To transmit the information.

CONCEPTS OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

Staff development was formally defined in the American nurses associations (ANA’S)
‘standard for nursing staff development’ (1990) as the process of orientation, in-service
 education and continuing education to promote the expansion of personnel within any
employment setting, consistent with the goals and responsibilities of the employer.

Staff development refers to both professional and non professional staff. Nursing staff
development is a component of human resource management. Staff development activities are
defined by its concepts such as competence, interest, needs, learning and training.

✓ Competence: it is the state of possessing qualities and abilities that are required for a particular
role or task. E.g. nurses competence in handling new cases and new equipment or handling
advanced techniques.
✓ Interests: interest and inclination (preference) that cause an individual to be attracted or
repelled by certain objects, events or persons with the result that the individual seeks experience
that favors development.
✓ Need: it is lack, tension, desire or demands that impels a person to specific behaviors. An
educational need is measurable discrepancy between person’s actual job competence and desire
competence level.
✓ Learning: it consists of desirable behavior change that results from a prescribed experience.
✓ Training: it may be defined as an organized method of ensuring that people have knowledge
and skills for specific purpose, that they acquired the necessary knowledge to perform the duties
of the job.

PHILOSOPHY OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

The department of continuing education is an integral part of the nursing division and embraces the
philosophy of the division. The department also has the following belief:

➢ We believe that primary goal of health care agency is the achievement of a high quality of
health care for the people who use the agencies services. The attainment of this goal is
contingent (dependent) on the continuous development of all personal. In regard to nurses, to
see this development us member of health care team and practitioner of a high quality of nursing
care.
➢ We believe that educational activities should be designed and implemented to promote a high
standard of safe, effective nursing practice and to increase the job enrichment through lifelong
learning, by the department of CEN. Emphasis should be on application of knowledge to the
 actual work environment. The impact of program should be directed to the learner, the system,
the patient and his family.
➢ We believe that staff development program is, the process should result the change in a
cognitive, psychomotor and affective behaviors of the individual.
➢ We believe that mastery learning assists learners in achieving an acceptable level of
performance and should be utilized to provide a basis for accountability to the client, to the
institution and to the profession of nursing.
➢ We believe that nursing service, nursing education and nursing research must collaborate to
effectively solve the problems and to facilitate the nursing divisional goal attainment.
➢ We believe further that there is a some way responsibilities involved in staff development for
nursing are:
• The individual nurse’s responsibility for staff development based on a commitment to
learning as a means of personal and professional growth.
• The nursing professions responsibility for promoting the development of nursing personnel
based on standards for nursing practice and the needs of the nurse.
➢ We believe that staff development should be structured into include, education, experience and
socioeconomics.

FUNCTIONS OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:

o Provide Educational activities for all nurses employed by the health care agency directed
towards change behavior related to role expectations.
o It concerned with growth and development of personnel from their initial contact with a
healthcare agency until termination of service.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION MODEL

ASSESSING COMPETENCY, MAINTAINING COMPETENCY AND DEVELOPING
COMPETENCY
Staff development model for goal achievement of health care agency, the nurse and nursing
profession:
An explanation of the model:

Nursing Other Real

Practice Life
Experience

Experience Manpower
Post basic
nursing Planning
education

Health Care Employee-

Health Care Socio-economics Employer
Education relations
Agency

Continuing Education Counseling

• In-Service Education • Career Planning
• Extramural Education • Performance Evaluation

The staff development model is based on abovementioned philosophical statement, that the
activities within a healthcare agency are directed toward achieving a high quality care through the
mutual goal oriented efforts of the health care agency, the nursing profession and its practitioners.
In its broadest sense, staff development has 3 major components – education, experience and
socioeconomics.

Within a health care agency, the following components will provide a frame work for structuring a
staff development program.

➢ Education:
The educational component assumes that the nurse is motivated to continue leaning
through involvement in educational activities endorse by the health care agency and the nursing
profession. It may take the form of:
i. Continuing education
a. In-service education
 b. Orientation
c. Skills, attitude and knowledge pertinent to nursing practice within the health care
team and to career planning for individual nurse practitioners.
d. Extramural education- pertinent to individual and health care agency need.
ii. Post basic nursing education:
It is pertinent to nursing practice, individual and health care agency need

Agency based educational activity is referred to as in-service education. It begins with

orientation to the health care agency and to a particular position and continuous in the form of
specific skill training related to patient care within the context of health care team.

Outside the agency, the nurse’s educational activities may continue either as extramural
education or as post basic nursing education. Extramural education includes short course
conferences, seminars and the like, which are planned for group learning as well as programmed
learning and correspondence course given to the individual nurse. Post basic education refers to
formal study at a degree granting institution. Although in most cases this type of education
involves a fulltime commitment to an academic program leading to university diploma
certificate, baccalaureate degree, masters degree or doctorate and requires leave of absence from
the health care agency, if it still planned staff development.

Education, either post basic or continuing organized within or outside a health care
agency is influenced by the standard of nursing practice and the interest and support of the
professional association. This component of staff development is commonly called staff
education by the health care agency. It requires the shared responsibility of health care agency,
the nurse and nursing profession for planning and implementation even though the input of each
of the aforementioned may vary in the planning and/or of in the implementation.

➢ Experience:
Experience in nursing practice and in daily living are integral part of staff development.
Although a planned approach to the daily assignment of nursing responsibility is both a benefit
to the development of nurse practitioner and pre-requisites to high quality patient care, some
benefit also professional nursing association activities and those of community organization are
experiencing that are recognized by health care agencies the nursing professions and nurses are
contributing to staff development.
 1 Nursing practices
a. Direct patient care- general or specialties as independent patient care assignment or
team approach.
b. Indirect patient care- supervision, administration, teaching and research.
2 Other real life experiences
a. Colleague interaction
b. Voluntary activities related to health care
c. Professional association participants
d. Personal life
➢ Socio-economic:
The socioeconomic component of staff development assumes the involvement of the
health care agency, the nurse and nursing association in management, planning counseling and
employee-employees, relations. The effectiveness of manpower planning depends on need
assessment, which is in part influenced by the standards set by the nursing profession and in part
by the honoring of job commitment made between the health care agency and the nurse.
Employee- employer relations are reflected in personal practices, from the basis of policies
underlying staff development in any agency.
1 Manpower planning
a. Recruitment
b. Selection
c. Placement
2 counseling
a. performance evaluation
b. career planning
c. promotion
3 employee-employer relation
a. personal policies and practices
b. health services
c. labour relation

STEPS OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

• Assess the educational needs of all staff members
• Set priority
• Develop general objectives for the staff development program
• Determine the resources needed to reach the desired objectives
• Develop a master calendar for an entire year
• Develop and maintain staff development record system
• Establish files on major educational topics
• Regularly evaluate the staff development program

RESOURCES
• Public libraries, audiovisual program in addition to many books and computers, research
activities and speakers to community groups.
• Schools and universities
• Association
• Health and inter service agency
• Other nursing homes
• Once own staff

ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF A STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM:

• Administrative philosophy, policies & practices of health care agency.
• Policies, practices and standards of nursing & other health professionals.
• Human & material resources
• Physical facilities
• Financial resources
• Centralization v/s Decentralization:
• Qualification of Staff development

TYPES OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT:

Staff development includes formal and informal group and individual training and
education. Staff development activities include the following:
1. Induction training
2. Job orientation
3. Continuing education
4. In-service education
1) INDUCTION TRAINING:
It is a belief, standardized indoctrination to an agency’s philosophy, purpose policies and
regulations given to each worker during her or his first two or three days of employment in
order to ensure his or her identification with agency’s philosophy, goals and norms.
Induction takes place after the employee has been selected but before performing the job
role. Induction is carried out to overcome the sense of strangeness, to introduce her to her
colleagues and to develop in her sense of belonging. It is the first step in a proper
communication policy which seeks to build two way channels of information between
management and employees. It is also defined as socializing process by which the organization
objectives are absorbed by the individual for achievement his personal goals.
DEFINITION:
The training is organized procedure by which people learn knowledge and skill for a
define purpose.
Subba Rao
Training is learning experience in that it seeks a relatively a permanent change in an
individual that will improve his or her identity to perform on the job.
David
Any big organization should have a systematic induction process to achieve the
following aims:
✓ To bring the agreement between the organization goals and the personal goal of person
employed.
✓ To build the new employee’s confidence in the organization and in himself.
✓ To promote the feeling of belonging and loyalty to the organization among newcomers.
✓ To ensure that the new employees may not form false impression regarding the new place of
work.
✓ To give the new employees information and knowledge about the organization-its structure,
products, rules and regulation etc.
✓ To give new candidate information that he needs such as location of lockers, cafeteria and
other facilities, time to break off, leaves rules etc.
INDUCTION TRAINING INCLUDES THE CONTENT LIKE:
The induction training include following content:
➢ Brief history, mission, objectives and philosophy
 ➢ Product and service of the organization
➢ Structure of Organization
➢ Location of departments
➢ Personal policies
➢ Employee’s activities
➢ Rules and regulation
➢ Safety
➢ Standing orders
➢ Counseling services
➢ Job routine
➢ Special training
STEPS OF INDUCTION TRAINING:
o Tour of facilities
o Introduction to the other employees, superiors and subordinates.
o Description of organizational functions.
o Departmental visit
o Orientation to philosophy goals and objectives
o Administration policies and procedures

2) JOB ORIENTATION:
Induction provides the employee with general information about the organization.
Whereas orientation activities are more specific for the position.
MEANING:
The process of creating awareness with an individual of his/her roles, responsibilities
and relationships in the new work situation.
DEFINITION:
Orientation is defined as introducing new staff members to the philosophy, goals,
policies, procedures, role expectations, physical facilities and special services in a work setting.
Job orientation is an individualized training program intended to acquaint a newly hired
employee with job responsibilities workplace, clients and co-workers.
PURPOSES:
❖ Employee based
 ✓ Develop the sense of security and confidence
✓ Reduces apprehension
✓ Aids adjustment
✓ Enhance interpersonal acceptance
✓ Familiarizes with new employees with organization, its goals, its policies
✓ To make the employee feel a part of the team
❖ Organizational Based
✓ Helps to reduce turnover
✓ Increase productivity
✓ Ensures conducive working climate
IMPORTANCE OF ORIENTATION PROGRAMME
o Provides essential, relevant and necessary information
o Helps employee to gain confidence,
o Lessen the time for the employee to learn about new situations related to his/her job setting.
o Helps the new employee to develop a sense of belonging
o Eliminates
o Learning by trail and error
o Passing of incorrect information by old employees and peers.
o Reduces misinterpretation
o Mistakes and confusion
o Apprehension
o Help new employee in solving initial problems and adjust the new situation/environment,
o Acquaints her with personnel services readily within the institution/community

COMPONENTS
o A new employee to his or her job setting so that he / she is aware of his/ her job
responsibility and expectation.
o Present employee to the job responsibilities of his/ her expanded/ enriched role.
o The old employees to the policy changes.

TOPIC INCLUDED IN ORIENTATION PROGRAM:

 Some of the topics are compulsory, for example history of the organization, introduction
to nursing unit, personnel policies, and expected standards of care, duties and responsibilities.
The area or topics covered are as below:

Job Orientation Program

Introduction Specific Personnel General

Administrators Supervisors Co-workers • Salary

Service
• Leave
rules
• Promotion
• Duties
• Obligation

Job Job Ethical and legal Rewards

Description Setting Responsibilities

Nursing office General office Hospital &

community
setting
orientation
 Orientation

Introduction

Personnel Organization Personnel General Specific Nursing

Policy Responsibilities
Place
Remuneration Philosophy Administrators Organization Job Description
Objectieves Coworkers, Plan
Leave Rules Job
Organization
Holidays board policies Subordinates Of Department Responsibilities
Medical service rules subordinates Layout task
Benefits &regulation other responsibilities
Policies
Duty Patterns work pattern & significant channels of
rotation personnel rules & communication
other regulation &accountability
significant & organization chart
related positive role of job safty
information nurses in requirments
regarding attainment of emmergency
accomodation objectives handling
transport etc. emmergency legal and ethical
handling responsibilities
disciplinary records and
measures reports
security supervision &
arrangements evaluation

CONTENT OF AN ORIENTATION PROGRAMME

o The origination and its environment

o Policies, rules and regulation
o Personnel
o Services
o Functions to be undertaken
3) IN-SERVICE EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION
➢ In-service education is a planned educational experience provided in the job—setting and
closely identified with service in order to help the person to perform more effectively as a
person and as a worker.
➢ In-service education is the vehicle by which goals and the multiple articulated means available
to achieve them can be explored. It can be used to consider and solve problems, institutes and
advance learning, elicit and analyze and systematize individual ideas for group develop the
idea of the hospital as another community agency; and struggle to understand ourselves, other
and inherent relationships.
➢ In-service education is defined as a continued programme of education provided by the
employing authority, with the purpose of developing the competence of personnel in their
functions appropriate to the position they hold, or to which they will be appointed in the
service.
➢ In-service education aims at developing the ability for efficient working and the capacity for
continuous learning, so that one may adapt to changes with judgment and produce profitable
services which become an important tool for the health care of the society and nation at large
i.e.
• Cost-consciousness of nursing services in relation to all the programmes.
• Proper supply of drugs and supplies related to nursing service.
• Training needs assessment of nursing personnel related to current changes in the field.
• Proper living conditions of nursing personnel for proper services.
• In-service education is designed to retrain people to improve their performance and their
communicative ability; an, it is designed to get them started on the never-ending continuum
of education.
➢ The educational programme for the nursing department includes three phases, orientation, in-
service and continuing education.
➢ As a part of orientation, it requires that objectives job-descriptions, personnel policies and
other regulations be provided in writing. So, the nursing department should have a manual
covering ‘‘policies and procedures’’ for at least the following:
• Noting physician's orders
 • Administering medications
• Nurses charting
• Assigning nursing personnel
• Assigning nursing care of patients.
• Infection control
• Patient safety.
➢ "In-service education must be planned, scheduled, documented and held on a continuing
basis", it should provide for the improvement of nursing care and service through increased
proficiency and knowledge.
➢ Nursing personnel take outside courses and attend conventions and workshops that expand
their professional horizons and keep them abreast of developments.

FACTORS AFFECTING IN-SERVICE EDUCATION

The economic, social, medical and technological sciences which affect that society will affect
nursing in-service education. The related factors affect the in-service education programmes are:
➢ Cost of health care: In-service education programme may increase the efficiency of nursing
services, but it adds additional expenditure on health care delivery system.
➢ Manpower: In-service education requires need qualified human resources, leads to increase
human resources.
➢ Changes in nursing practice lead to frequent changes in the programmes and in-service
education.
➢ Standards for nursing practice.
➢ Organization of nursing departmental planned approaches is regular

APPROACHES TO IN-SERVICE EDUCATION

❖ Centralized Approach
➢ The centralised approach has its origin in the belief that the in-service curriculum ought to
emanate from and be conducted by nursing personnel in the central administration of the
agency. None of the learners are consulted or participate in planning learning experiences
and yet are expected to attend an in-service offering.
➢ Centralised approach to in-service education leads to in reducing spontaneous, interested
participation and enthusiasm of learners. Some of the advantages to administration of
 centralised approach are found where budget control and evaluation of the programming are
facilitated, when use of resources, people, places and things are decided, and then
committees are directed to work on specific problems identified by administration.

❖ Decentralized Approach
➢ The decentralised approach is based on conviction that the in-service curriculum for all
nursing personnel should be the responsibility, in large measure, of the practicing nurse,
with whom the personnel work. Decentralised in-service education is planned by and
conducted for employees of one or more units. The employee may be expected to
administration informed of their activities and possibly consult with administration when
help is wanted, but the employees are expected to develop and direct their own learning
experiences.
➢ With decentralised approach, control in’ planning for in-service is a responsibility of
employees. Its self-direction, initiative and participation are qualities which are valued, they
may be fostered by decentralised approach.
➢ The hazards decentralised approach will include are, lack of leadership. Conflicts,
inefficiency, less or no budget will be expected.
➢ The advantage of decentralised approaches lie in those individuals who work on the same
unit and confront problems in common, share the responsibilities for meeting in-service
needs which planning and Implementation of programme. Proper contribution of the
participants is also expected.
❖ Coordinated Approach
➢ The coordinated approach is a compromise between the centralised and decentralised
patterns. In that, while the practicing nurse does indeed carry a large measure of
responsibility for the in-service curriculum, the central administration of nursing personnel
of the agency is responsible for a broad programme which is of importance to all nursing
personnel.
➢ In this way, coordination is improved, duplication is avoided, and unity of efforts is
maintained. An added advantage of coordinated approach is that realistically, people will
tend to lend support to an effort in which they personally participate or contribute; this
approach involves both nursing administrators and practitioners in complementary way.
 ➢ Co-ordinated approach provides for mutual co-operation and assistance to central
administration and unit personnel in the agency. For the in-service education curriculum a
central planning group, comprised of elected representative from categories of personnel and
the in-service staff which is in a staff rather than line capacity. Formulates short and long
range goals and plans for the agency.
➢ An administrative advisory group comprised of chiefs in the agency serves as a consultative,
informational resource to the planning group and as facilitator and expediter where and
when co-operation needed.

4) CONTINUING EDUCATION
DEFINITION
➢ "Continuing education is all the learning activities that occurs after an individual has
completed his basic education" - Cooper.
➢ "Continuing education is that education which builds on previous education" - Shannon
➢ "Continuing education in nursing consists of systematic learning experiences designed to
enlarge the knowledge and skills of nurses" – Neeraja
Many a times it is used interchangeably with term adult education. In continuing education (adult
education) it is essential to recognize and consider the characteristics of adult learner. Adult
learners are people who have forward education, a career or employment identified areas of
interest, and family and financial responsibilities.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ADULT LEARNERS

➢ Adult learner is responsible and mature person and self directed.
➢ Adults are highly motivated to learn and make voluntary decision to learn.
➢ Adult learning is need based.
➢ Physiological characteristics also affect on the learning process of adults. Difficulty in
reading due to poor eyesight or decline in the physical power limits the learning process of
adults.
➢ Adult learners are practical and seek problem solutions.
➢ Adults have a reservoir of life experiences.
➢ Adults are highly differentiated persons who have developed individual social roles
employment responsibilities and leisure time interests.
 ➢ Adults need to be convinced, that they too can learn because they feel they are too old to
learn.
➢ If the learning situations are difficult adults feel easily threatened.
➢ Adult learner does learn better in informal setting.
➢ Adult learners life style revolves around her family and career so the learning is paced
accordingly.
➢ Adult learner learns effectively in an interactive process.

PURPOSES
➢ To ensure safe and effective nursing care, nurses need to keep abreast with interest,
knowledge and technical advances.
➢ Development of nurses will occur by updating their knowledge and prepare them for
specialization
➢ Professional roles are altered as society changes and as new knowledge and technologies
emerge
➢ If the nursing professional is to respond effectively to the challenge of developing wise
leadership and competent practitioners, current social changes must be recognized and future
ones foreseen.
➢ To acquire specialized skills of personnel and meet technologic adjuncts
➢ To complete with the professional forces like changing function of the nurse, an increasing
trend towards specialization, shortage of specialized nurses, variation in the nature and
recency of formal education preparation and the mobility of the nurse population.
➢ Clinical specialists are needed for direct patient care and for teaching and consultative roles to
help the students and staff nurses to reach higher levels of competency
➢ Nurses in administrative positions need to increase their understanding of the administrative
process and to design effective methods of maximizing the contribution of individuals helps to
provide nursing services to patients,
➢ To provides opportunities for educational growth compatible with the realities of both work
situation and the home responsibilities.
 FUNCTIONS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
➢ To meet the health needs and public expectations.
➢ To develop the practicing abilities of the nurses
➢ Recruitment function.
➢ Recognize gaps in their knowledge
➢ To test the ability to do final academic study.
➢ To improve the communication between the participants, faculty, community and health
sector.
➢ To shape or support university educational policies and practices
➢ To maintain academic standards.
➢ To meet educational requirements.
➢ To ensure quality of education

RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION IN NURSING

Though it is responsibility of each individual to update her/his knowledge in the area of
work but the following are responsible for continuing education for nursing personnel:
• Educational institution,
• The Nurse herself,
• Employers, and
• Professional organization.

PRINCIPLES IN CONDUCTING A CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Provision for school and nursing faculty involvement in planning and teaching the
continuing nursing education courses tends to maintain high educational standards for the
programme.
➢ An adequate staff is essential to planning, implementing, and evaluating a programme which
is based on learning needs and which has an impact on the quality of nursing care provided.
➢ Responsibilities of the director of continuing nursing education are:
• Determination of learning needs of the nurse population.
• Development and implementation of a programme to meet these needs.
• Evaluation of results.
 ➢ Staff services are required with sufficient talents and numbers to implement the planned
programme
• Advisory
• Secretarial
• Administrative
• Supportive
• Assistance with research, publicity, questionnaire, evaluation tools, data analysis and
computer programming.
➢ An advisory committee has to be appointed, which includes:
• Faculty members from a variety of areas of nursing practice.
• Director of hospital nursing services
• Representatives from the state licensing authority, health department and voluntary
agencies.
• Extended care facilities
• Hospital association
• Medical and allied health professionals.
• Regional medical programme
➢ Continuing nursing education programme may be decentralized or centralized.
Decentralized means faculty of an academic department initiate and do the programme.
Centralized means a separate department or extension division is responsible for the
continuing nursing education program.

PROCESS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

It is a common belief that nurses feel that their education finishes when they complete the
basic nursing programme. Once a nurse always a nurse. But with fast changes in medical
technology nurse has to keep updating her knowledge. Continuing education programme to be
planned on regular basis. While planning continuing education or inservice education the
following steps are included:
1. Identifying the learning needs of the nursing personnel
2. Setting goals and defining specific objectives
3. Planning and organizing course and designing learning experience
 4. Assessing available resources
5. Establishing a workable budget.
6. Implementing plan of teaching
7. May restart the process

1 Identifying Learning Needs

Determination of learning needs is one of the very important element in the whole process of
personnel development. A training activity/education programme does not make any sense if it does
not create enthusiasm in the nurse learner.
i. Definition of Learning Need: 'Need' refers to a difference between what a nurse is aware of and
what is desired or expected of her in a particular role.
'Need' is a lack of knowledge, skill or attitude that prevents an employee from giving a
satisfactory job performance.
ii. Types of Learning Needs.
➢ Individual needs for example updating knowledge in any related field.
➢ Organizational needs enabling the staff to be efficient in work after going through the
programme.
➢ Community needs, providing knowledge in giving efficient care to the community like
prevention of AIDS or drug abuse, encouraging breastfeeding.
iii. Sources of Identifying Needs. The needs can be identified from:
➢ Learners
➢ Supervisors and administrators -
➢ Clients/patients who express what should be there and what is not there
➢ Society/community while doing survey when the data reveals the need for immunization,
education to children regarding hygiene etc.
➢ Political commitment for example discussing awareness programme on aids.
➢ New technology and scientific knowledge such as use of incubators, c.p.r. etc.
➢ Continuing education coordinator as there is lot of sharing with various groups
of participants from whom she/he can collect information regarding the 'felt need' of the
nursing personnel.
iv. Approaches Used to Assess the Learning Needs
a) Observation of performance of nursing personnel will help to know the deficit in performance
of the nursing procedure.
b) Verbal Communication also helps in assessing the learning needs of the learners. Verbal
communication such as informal discussion with the group members, formal discussion,
interview, meetings with groups or individual, feedback from workshop participants and
discussion with advisory committee are some of the other ways by which learning needs
can be assessed.
c) Written Communication by questionnaire, slip technique in which the learner writes the
topics for updating the knowledge, analysis of records and reports also help in identifying the
deficit areas, incident reports and annual reports also help in identifying the learning needs.
Job analysis can also be used in assessing the learning needs.
v. Common Tools Used to Assess the Iearning Needs: Some of the common tools which can be
used for assessment of learning needs are:
a) Questionnaire
b) Rating Scale
c) Check List
d) Opinionnaire

2 Setting goals and defining specific objectives

➢ Once the learning needs are identified, then a most important or felt need is decided for
continuing education. Goals should be significant and realistic, which can be attained. Goals
serve to stimulate and direct action and should be reachable.
➢ An objective should be specific; it is a desired end or accomplishment to be sought.

3 Planning and Organizing Course and Designing Learning Experiences

Planning and organization is the relation of efforts and capacities of individuals and groups
engaged upon a common task in such a way as to secure the desired objectives with the least
friction and the most satisfaction for whom the task is done.
While planning the continuing education programme, the following policies should be kept in
mind:
 ➢ What content is to be included in continuing education.
➢ The priorities given to the staff for attending it according to their placement.
➢ Who will be accountable for the results of continuing education.
➢ What methods of teaching will be used in continuing education.
➢ What method of evaluation will be used.
➢ What qualification will be required of the resource persons.
➢ How resources and experts will be identified and used.
4.Selection of Resources
Resources are categorized as financial resources, human resources, facilities, equipment and
supplies. Financial Resource is mainly the budget. For getting finances a proposal should be
prepared. Three basic aspects of writing the proposal are:
➢ Getting ready: Clarify and discuss the idea, explore funding Resources.
➢ Developing an overview, outline of the activity, plan in phases, build on resources.
➢ Producing the proposal, writing the proposal.

Guideline for writing the proposal

➢ Name of the Director/Organizer
➢ Name of the institution
➢ State the assessed problem/need
➢ Aim of the programme
➢ Objectives of the programme
➢ Duration of the workshop
➢ Stipulate the participants:
• Type of group
• Number of participants
➢ Funds required:
• Travelling allowances
• Daily allowance
• Honorarium allowances
• Equipments and supplies . .
• Technical and support staff
➢ Travelling Allowances:
• Participants from far distance
• Participants from near distance
➢ Daily allowances/stipend:
➢ Honorarium
• Coordinator/Guest Lecturer/Resource Persons
➢ Finance for equipment and supplies/stationaries
➢ Finance for technical staff/support staff
• Human Resources should be assessed and utilized in best possible mariner and should be
selected according to the size of budget.
• A Speaker or resource person selected should have the following qualification:
➢ Familiarity with special needs of adult learner.
➢ Good knowledge of his/her assigned topic.
➢ Ability to conduct an effective session.
➢ Speaker can be selected from the faculty of the Institution/outside.
• Support Staff like clerk, technician, safaiwala, serving persons should be available.
➢ Calm and quiet place for workshop
➢ Audio-visual equipment and printed material etc.

4 Implementing the Programme ,

Before implementing check the following aspects:
➢ Organize a filing system (loose leaf note book) with action titled.
➢ Determine the purpose of the workshop or conference.
➢ Determine who will undertake planning and direction.
➢ Determine time, place, and duration of workshop.
➢ Analyze desired participants.
➢ Determine possible dates for workshop.
➢ Determine possible locations for workshop.
➢ Develop a time table.
➢ Develop a mailing list.
➢ Analyze methods of instruction.
➢ Determine the desired topical coverage.
➢ Determine the desired faculty.
 ➢ Determine expenses to be met.
➢ Determine funding arrangements.
➢ Develop a plan for controlling finances.
➢ Determine place for workshop.
➢ Determine accommodations required.

Now need to develop the agenda:

➢ State purpose of workshop.
➢ State desired learning outcome on part of participants.
➢ Determine time available for total workshop.
➢ Determine topic coverage desired
➢ Develop realistic time allocations that can be adhered to.
➢ Allocate time for registration.
➢ Allocate time for opening remarks.
➢ Allocate time for introduction of speakers.
➢ Allocate time for speakers.
➢ Allocate time for discussion.
➢ Allocate time for rest or coffee breaks.
➢ Allocate time for presiding officials.
➢ . Allocate time for evaluation actions.
➢ Allocate time for summation and adjournment.
➢ Develop tentative agenda.
Prepare correspondence to guest speakers
➢ Letter or call of invitation, including consultant fee if appropriate.
➢ Outline coverage desired.
➢ Include courtesy copy of agenda.
➢ Query as to support requirements, e.g. 35mm slide projector, 16 mm motion picture
projector; remote controls; lighting requirements.
➢ Determine whether any speaker may object to audience taping of his presentation
➢ Include information as to sponsor and planned activities.
➢ When appropriate, carbon copy of correspondence may be sent to speaker's Dean.
Administrator of employer.
 ➢ Develop teaching-learning strategies.
5 Evaluating the Programme
Evaluation is needed to assess the effectiveness of the programme on the progress in order to
find out what extent pre set goals have been achieved evaluations should be done at different stages
of the programme. As the programme is coming near to end on the last day the evaluation of the
following areas may be done by rating scale, questionnaire or opinionnaire. e.g.
➢ Evaluation of the programme.
➢ Evaluation of the facilities
➢ A.V. Aids selected were appropriate
➢ Group work was adequate.
➢ Group discussion was beneficial.

IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION

➢ Nursing is a scientifically rigorous discipline, which requires the updated information on a
regular basis to ensure best possible care is provided to patients. Nurses are required to engage
in a set amount of training to maintain their registration in almost all states.
➢ The technological advancements have made the job of a nurse to evolve continuously. In the
past few years, several changes has been made in the methods of providing treatment, surgical
procedures, and even the medications prescribed. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every
nurse to remain updated with the ongoing changes as they will affect her patients.
➢ To ensure nurses are properly updated most hospitals and medical agencies offer regular
training and seminars.
LIMITATIONS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
➢ Poor planning and direction leads to the failure of the programme
➢ Adequate Publicity is needed
➢ Non-surely of the presence of participants in the programme
➢ Large budget is required
➢ Lack of skill on presentation to the education.
❖ ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF ADMINISTRATOR/MANAGER IN STAFF
DEVELOPMENT
Roles:
He or she……
 ➢ Applies adult learning principles when helping employees learn new skills or information.
➢ Coaches employee readily regarding knowledge and skill deficits.
➢ Actively seeks out teaching opportunities.
➢ Uses teaching techniques that empower staff.
➢ Is sensitive to the learning deficits of the staff and creatively minimizes these deficits.
➢ Frequently assess learning needs of the unit.
Functions
➢ Works with reduction department to delineate shared individual responsibility for staff
development.
➢ Ensure that there are adequate resources for staff development.
➢ Assumes responsibility for quality and fiscal control of staff development activity.
➢ Makes appropriate decisions regarding educational resource allocation in periods of fiscal
constraints.
➢ Ensures that all staff is competent for roles assigned.
➢ Provides input in formulating staff development policies.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
1. Basvanttappa BT, “Nursing Administration”, 2nd edition, Jaypee Brothers Medical
Publication, New Delhi, 2009, P.p.737-750.
2. IGNOU, “BNS-110, Personnel and Financial Management”, 1st edition, School of Health
Sciences, IGNOU, New Delhi, 2007, Reprint 2008, P.p. 28-40.
3. IGNOU, “BNS-110, Nursing Administration and Management”, 1st edition, School of
Health Sciences, IGNOU, New Delhi, 2007, Reprint 2008, P.p. 42-61.
4. Rowland Beatrice L. and Rowland Howard S., “Nursing Administration Handbook”;
1997. Pp: 162-165
5. O’shea Kristen L, “Staff Development Nursing Secrets”; 2002. Pp:109-111
Websites
1. http://www.uaseducation.com/articles/666/1/Importance-of-Continuing-Nursing-
Education/Page1.html

2. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0260691706001341

3. http://www.articlegeek.com/reference/education_articles/continuing-education-nursing-
21st.htm

4. http://currentnursing.com/nursing_education/nursing_education_in_india.html

5. http://www.hr.upenn.edu/staffrelations/performance/guidelines.aspx

6. http://www.staffingpractices.soe.vt.edu/orientation.htm