CPD online — what do the experts think?

Where are the opportunities for nurses in CPD and can we professionally develop online?

Dr Kay Price

Associate Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Australia and board member of NPS MedicineWise.

All nurse practitioners, nurses and midwives are responsible for undertaking CPD to contribute to increasing or maintaining their knowledge, skills and personal qualities related to their role. As CPD is largely self-directed, needs to incorporate reflective practice and needs to be relevant to the individual’s professional practice, CPD opportunities are everywhere and only limited by an individual’s capacity to develop an appropriate learning plan. The online environment is a support to all nursing personnel both for being able to store evidence digitally so that it is secure and accessible, and also to undertake validated online courses and seminars at a time and place convenient to them so as to meet their learning plan.

Critical in all nursing roles is the quality use of medicines. To achieve quality use of medicines, all people must be provided with the most appropriate treatment and have the knowledge and skills to use medicines to their best effect. As such, all nursing personnel have a responsibility to keep up to date and have timely access to accurate information and education about medicines and their use.

Jo-Liz Prosser

Head of Nursing, TAFE Queensland East Coast (TQEC) and associated with The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)

The opportunities for Nurses engaging in CPD has changed considerably over the past 5 years. CPD via online modality now provides strategies allowing nurses to access learning at any time, giving them control over their educational experience. Online CPD permits nurses to access the information and resources at a time which fits in with their work-life balance; this flexibility results in a higher completion and satisfaction rate.

I believe nurses can professionally develop online. This learning platform will enable learners from any geographical location to engage with their peers, share their knowledge and expertise and not limit it to only those who can attend educational facilities.

Annette Faithfull-Byrne

Nursing Director Education, Staff Development and Research, Adjunct Associate Professor University of the Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service provides innovative opportunities for nursing in continuing professional development within the acute healthcare sector. The health service, like many others across the country, is increasingly using simulated clinical practice as an educational strategy to improve learning outcomes for nurses and other health professionals. The service has also introduced a clinical coaching model which enables point of care clinical education in real time with real patients.

The combination of real-time, point of care education with real patients and provision of clinical scenarios in a simulated environment provides a perfect mix for continuing professional development. These practice-focused, hands-on methodologies are underpinned and supported by quality e-learning strategies to create a blended delivery model with flexibility to meet the complex learning demands of contemporary healthcare workers.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Monkey Business