Prosand Cons of Mandatory Continuing Nursing Education
Prosand Cons of Mandatory Continuing Nursing Education
Nursingeducation is a process that offers the primary foundation of medicaland nursing understanding. However, competency in the field ofnursing requires a continuous learning process. Continuing educationis necessary not only for keeping up with the current practices andissues, but also to improve the safety and well-being of patients. Atthe moment, several states have conferred continuing education to bemandatory especially for nurses. Additionally, the learning requiresthe completion of stipulated course credit hours before licenses canbe renewed. In some cases, individual course subjects have to becovered (Ross et al., 2013). On the other hand, some states leave theprofession open to either accept or decline the personal urge tobegin the continued learning. On the surface, completing mandatory CElooks like a perfect idea, but some individuals in the nursingfraternity think otherwise. Their main claim is that competence ispresent in the career and it can be proven by the licensures andrenewals taking place. As such, mandating further education is justbut a redundant activity. This paper looks at the pros and cons ofmandatory continuing education in an attempt to examine the debate,hence give out the final verdict concerning the same.
Impacton Competency.
Pros
Technologicaladvances and approaches to patient care change regularly. New medicaldiscoveries, emerging diseases and healthcare innovations also sproutdaily. Continued mandatory education ensures that every professionalis up to date. Also, the competency is improved leading to betterpatient service. Furthermore, the learning may ignite innovativecharacters in the participants leading to personal and alsofacility-oriented development [ CITATION Mar122 l 1033 ].
Cons
Despitethe argument that competency can be improved, there is no surety thatthe levels will reach certain heights. Additionally, it is claimedthat the nursing course in itself offers all the necessary aspectsthat assure competency. As such, additional knowledge should be atthe discretion of the nurses.
Impacton Knowledge and Attitudes.
Pros
Apparently,additional knowledge to nurses leads to the demonstration ofprofessionalism in all spheres of their work. New policies,methodologies, and patient assistance models are acquired throughteamwork and collaboration in the continued education. On top ofthat, the nurses can validate the ever-changing practices by theircommitment to knowledge education. Sufficient understanding ofnursing principles could be the key to positive attitudes.
Cons
Themain con associated with the impact of mandatory continuing nursingeducation on knowledge and attitudes is based on the question as towhether or not there are actual benefits [ CITATION Mar122 l 1033 ].Thisleads us to the sentiment that there are other channels such asinternal continuous medical education (CMEs) or networking andcollaboration which are faster, cheaper and easier to integrate thanthe above approach.
Relationshipto Professional Certification.
Pros
MandatoryCNE increases validity and authenticity of one’s nursing education.It also ensures the certification to perform certain practices, forinstance, evidence-based practice (EBP), an aspect that some nurseslacking continuous education may not be able to apply.
Cons
Thereis always the cost factor, especially given that the courses have tobe reapplied (some states require reapplication after every twoyears). Also, the ability of small agencies and health facilities toapply such steps is a challenge, especially since the basic degreecertification is one of the primary qualifications required fornursing practice.
Relationshipto ANA Scope and Standards of Practice.
Pros
Itfacilitates the improvement of the standards of practice throughlearning and networking. Mandatory CNE is also beneficial ininnovation and gaining the most recent or changed practices.
Cons
Moreknowledge does not necessarily mean better standards of practicesince the two are not explicitly equal. Secondly, there is the cost,competency and lack of a guarantee that the education will assistnurses in this sphere. The cost also affects the operations due tothe funding directed to education rather than patient care. Whennurses take their time off, the facility workload increases, hencestandards could also diminish (Ross et al., 2013).
Relationshipto ANA Code of Ethics.
Pros
Nursescan keep up with policies and regulations. Interaction with othersand the learning can prove to be helpful in decision-making.
Cons
Timeaway from patient care can raise eyebrows. Additionally, the cost ofeducation could cause ethical debates as some argue that offeringhealth care is more important than acquisition of more knowledge. Itis not clear as to whether the principles of ethics will impactchange. Some situations require more experience than classwork
ShouldCNE be Mandatory for all Nurses? Support Your Position withRationale.
Continuousnursing education should be mandatory for all nurses. This is becauseit is necessary not only for licensing, but also for the applicationof evidence-based practices and improvement of clinical outcomes.Professional nurses benefit a lot from this strategy as they canrealize competency through periodic yet continuous updating(Shahhosseini & Hamzehgardeshi., 2015).
References
Alexander, M. (2012). Does Mandatory Continuing Education Ensure Continuing Competence? Journal of Nursing, 2-3.
Ross, K., Barr, J. & Stevens, J. (2013). Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Requirements: What does this mean for Australian Nurses. BMC Nursing, 12-19.
Shahhosseini, Z. & Hamzehgardeshi, Z. (2015). The Facilitators and Barriers to Nurses’ Participation in Continuing Education Programs: A Mixed Method Explanatory Sequential Study. Global Journal of Health Science, 184–193.
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