Collaborative Learning Community: Pros and
Cons of Mandatory continuing Nursing
Education
In your CLC group, create a PowerPoint presentation of 10-15 slides in
which you compare the pros and cons of continuing nursing education
related to the following:
1.Impact on competency.
2.Impact on knowledge and attitudes.
3.Relationship to professional certification.
4.Relationship to ANA Scope and Standards of Practice.
5.Relationship to ANA Code of Ethics.
Take a position with your CLC group: Should continuing nursing
education be mandatory for all nurses? Support your position with
rationale.
A minimum of three scholarly sources are required for this assignment.
Pros and cons of continuing nursing
education: Impact on competency.
Due to technological advancement
nurse need to remain competent to
offer quality care
Advanced technological changes
require nurses to acquire additional
skills other than the skills acquired
as a student to fit in the changing
health care settings .
Due to modern technological
devices continuing education has
become mandatory for all nurses
to remain competent (Fitzpatrick,
2010).
Pros…
Nurses need to broaden
their knowledge due to the
changing patient needs and
policy changes that make
continuing learning
mandatory .
To remain competent
nurses should engage in
lifelong learning to impact
on quality care of patients
(Fitzpatrick, 2010).
Cons of continuing nursing education Impact on
competency
Continuing education is a costly process ,enrolling for
lecture or conferences requires substantial amounts of
money .
Continuing education is time consuming this could mean
being away from work occasionally .
Learning does not necessarily result to improvements
(Huston, 2010).
Relationship to professional certification.
Pros
Certification proves individual
professional commitment
Continuous education offers
formal ways of encouraging
nurses to be updated on the
current changes and requirement
Certification will enable nurses to
prove that they are experts
indicating the difference of their
practice
Certification encourage safe and
competent care (Hansen-Turton,
Bailey, Torres & Ritter, 2010).
Professional certification.
Cons
Certification processes are tedious
discouraging many aspiring nurses to
abandon the practice .
There are limited opportunities that
guides students on career advancement
options hence many students not
choosing studies relevant to the nature of
their practice .
Despite being licensed after advancing
their education nurses are still restricted
as they work under the supervision of
physicians .
Professional certification limits nurses
from practicing their professional at the
bedside
Certification process limits many people
from entering into the profession
(Huston, 2010).
Impact on knowledge and attitudes
Pros
Attitude is closely associated
with individual desire for
continuous education .
With the reviewed nursing roles
by the nursing association
nurses are taking up new roles
there were previously limited to
physicians.
With the expanded roles of
nurse they can diagnose illness,
make referrals and prescribe
medication to patients
increasing accessibility of
healthcare (Fitzpatrick, 2010).
Relationship to ANA Scope and Standards
of Practice
Pros
According to the institute of medicine (IOM)
recommendations adopted by the nursing association ,the
number of nurses with bachelorette degrees has increased
with improved service delivery
Nurses scope of practice has been extended encouraging
them to occupy leadership positions within healthcare
setting .
Due to the extended scope of practice nurses have greatly
contributed to healthcare in various fields including
research (Fitzpatrick, 2010).
Cons
The process of acquiring
bacullarette degree is time
consuming for practicing
nurses.
Balancing between work
and studies is one of the
biggest challenges facing
nurses .
Due to work load ,nurses
are likely to discouraged
to advance their education
Relationship to ANA Code of Ethics
Pros
Nurses are guided by the ANA
code which forms the
foundation of their practice
As part of the guidelines nurses
continuous education is
compulsory to remain
competent within the practice.
The provision of the ANA code
encourages accountability
,professionalism resulting to
quality care delivery (Huston,
2010).
Cons
With many nurses advancing their careers , they may
request for educational hours and not necessarily utilizing
the time as expected .
Continuous education does not necessarily guarantee one
to grow professionally (Huston, 2010).
Summary in support of
continuing education
Nurses need to adopt the spirit of continuous learning
beyond academic settings.
Continuing education is the bridge to excellence.
Nurses need to engage in life long learning to remain
competent to serve the dynamic needs of patients.
For nurses to specialize in specific areas of healthcare
continuing education is mandatory.
Nurses who constantly update their knowledge help
organizations meet patients’ expectations.
References
Hansen-Turton, T., Bailey, D., Torres, N., & Ritter, A.
(2010). Nurse-managed health centers. American. 9, pp.
23-26.
Fitzpatrick, J. J. (2010). The future of nursing: Leading
change, advancing health. Nursing Education
Perspectives, 31(6), 347-348.
Huston, C.J. (2010). Professional issues in nursing:
Challenges and opportunities, 2nd ed. Philadelphia: