Continuing Education Requirement

After almost 30 years in this profession, I've worked with some nurses who feel no responsibility/desire to learn new techniques, ideas, improve knowledge base. With the advent of internet, easy to obtain CEU's and many cources offered in community or facility. I'm for it.

Had an RN apply for position in my department with no computer experience, no computer at home and is struggling to get her documentation completed timely on laptop provided by company without multiple prompts by current manager --had completed laptop orientation and extra tuteleg by RN educator. She did express desire to take computer course once I told her where to look for courses in community.

Today's PSNA newsletter info:

Legislative Alert: Mandatory CE Bill

From: Michele P. Campbell, Executive Administrator PA State Nurses Association

Colleagues,

Senator Pat Vance's mandatory CE bill for nurses in PA has now passed both the Senate and the House and is onto the governor for signature. There is a one year period for regulations to be promulgated once signed by the governor. This is a real victory for nurses in PA although there will be some disagreement among our own profession. But 27 other states have mandatory CE and nurses are the only profession in PA that does not mandate some sort of continuing education.

Thanks for all of you that supported the bill and communicated with your legislators. Please click here to review a copy of the final bill.

On the other hand ...

I don't believe there is good evidence that states with a mandatory CE requirement provide better nursing care than states without. I had friends on the Colorado BON back in the mid 1990's when they DROPPED their CEU requirement because they could find no valid studies that supported the CEU requirment led to better care throughout the state.

A big part of the problem is that CEU's can easily be accumulated without the "student" actually learning anything. For example, journals publish an article and provide CEU's if you complete a little post test and send in some money. One person actually reads the article and answers the questions. Her friends all copy her answers, pay their money, and send in their post tests. They get the CEU's without even reading the article!

Similarly, it is VERY difficult to police large conferences and conventions. It's easy to get credit for having attended workshops while you spend the day socializing and/or sight-seeing.

Then there is the controversy that arises when people disagree about what constitutes a valid CE topic. Taking a general computer class might help a nurse use her employer's technology -- but it's hard to show that it has a direct impact on the quality of nursing care received to the patient. There have been big fights about whether topics such as Therapeutic Touch and other "alternative healing modalities" should be counted. ... And what about classes on "caring for the caregiver" and related topics? ... And what if the topic of the class has absolutely NOTHING to do with your field of clinical practice? For example, if I have a friend who can give me the answers to a post test in a journal on a topic that has NO relationship to my job, does the fact that I paid my money for the CEU's in any way protect the public or promote better nursing care?

And finally ... even when people DO attend a class or read an artice, there is no mechanism in the CEU process that checks to see that they actually improve their practice based on what they were saw/heard in class.

Given that the reason for the government regulation of nursing practice is to protect the public and promote high quality care, it is inappropriate for the government to impose additional, costly requirements on nurses unless they can be reasonably linked to either of those to purposes. At its best, mandatory CEU's might help with that a little. However, with so many weaknesses in the link between the CEU system and the "public good," there are legitimate questions as to whether the state should require them and "feed" the CEU industry, thus encouraging the proliferation of bogus CEU's.

Many of us (who value life-long learning as much as anyone) would rather see the resources invested in more effective mechanisms to promote quality and protect the public.

I thought someone should present the other side of the argument.

llg

Good points llg as always.

I personally am happy about the CEU requirement. I work in a rural area and only 5 nurses belong to the PSNA. It is amazing to me the grumbling that has started already about this and "How could this happen without us know"

When I have tried to get other nurses to stand up and be counted they have turned a disinterested cheek.

It often takes a controversial issue that "hits peope where they live" in order to get them motivated to become involved. I hope that is the case with your friends. If so, some real good could come of it.