Reframing professional development for first‐line nurses

Abstract

Within a context of healthcare restructuring and a shift toward individualized continuing competency in Canada, this inductive, narrative inquiry explored positive learning experiences of first-line acute care nurses. The written stories of eight self-selected participants were collected and unstructured follow-up interviews were conducted. The stories and interview transcripts were examined using categorical-content and holistic-form analysis, and analyzed in light of literature relating to adult education and professional development in nursing. Emergent themes included life-changing learning and learning through one's own, and other's, experiences. The findings highlight the need to re-frame professional development for nurses in Canada, specifically by valuing and utilizing shared workplace experiences.

Differences in clinical reasoning among nurses working in highly specialised paediatric care

“…One of the nurses in the hypothesis‐oriented group thought that no X‐ray could be performed unless obvious signs, such as bruises, were present. This is in accordance with the findings of Jantzen (2008) that experiences of ‘how you do it’ can lead to establishing a wrong action in health care and it is not in accordance with the Swedish law and regulations (SOU 2001:72). A previous investigation Tingberg et al.…”

“…cautions that learning on the job can also strengthen existing negative characteristics in the workplace. Jantzen (2008) reports that experience, especially where mistakes or errors occur, and situations that cause moral stress are important learning elements (see also Gartmeier et al. 2008).…”

The relationship between the levels of nurses’ competence and the length of their clinical experience: a tentative model for nursing competence development

“…The first 10 years of clinical experience, especially the first few years, provide nurses with abundant learning opportunities. Nurses are exposed to a variety of successful and unsuccessful clinical experiences from which they gain new knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for their work in the nursing profession (Jantzen 2008). Not only do they learn from their own experience, but they are also given the opportunities to learn from the experience of others (Jantzen 2008).…”

“…Nurses are exposed to a variety of successful and unsuccessful clinical experiences from which they gain new knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for their work in the nursing profession (Jantzen 2008). Not only do they learn from their own experience, but they are also given the opportunities to learn from the experience of others (Jantzen 2008). In the early stage of their professional life, nurses have an unfilled capacity, which allows the rapid absorption of newly acquired skills and knowledge from their experience.…”

Continuing Nurse Education as a Factor of Health Care Quality

“…It is a non-formal and natural procedure through which an adult is called upon to manage and cope with his own experience. Learning for the health practitioner is therefore a continuous process of adaptation to the diverse circumstances in which he is confronted in his daily social and professional life (Russell, 2006;Jantzen, 2008).…”