CONTINUING EDUCATION IN NURSING

NURSING EDUCATION:
Nursing education is a professional education that is consciously and systematically planned and implemented
through instruction and discipline and is aimed at harmonious development of physical, intellectual, social,
emotional, aesthetic powers and abilities of the student in order to render professional nursing care to people of
all ages, in the best or highest possible manner.

CONTINUING EDUCATION:
Continuing education is a educational activity, primarily designed to keep the registered nurses abreast of their
particular field of interest and do not lead to any formal advanced standing in the profession.

Continuing education: includes all of those educational activities or learning activities that occurs after an
individual has completed his basic education.

According to American nurses association(ANA)

Continuing education consists of planned learning experience beyond a basic nursing educational program.
These are designed to promote the development of knowledge skills and attitude for the enhancement of nursing
practice, thus improving health care to the public.

CONCEPT OF NURSING EDUCATION.

The nursing personnel serve as a key element of health care delivery system. In order to ful-fill the challenging
role in the delivery of quality care, acquiring basic theoretical and practical knowledge us it just enough. To
keep pace with the rapid changes taking place in the science and technology there should be constant effects to
explore new knowledge.

CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION IN INDIA

Bhore committee (1946) and other committees recommended the need for CNE for the advanced study and
career development for trained nurses(TNAIL, 2001)

The 27th world Health Assembly in 1974 – called member states to consider as a matter of urgency.

The development of national systems of continuing education for national systems of continuing education for
health professionals, based on national and local health needs and demands, integrated with healthcare and
educational systems, with full utilization of the resources of universities and schools of health personnel.

The promotion of systems approach in educational planning for continuing education and the periodic
assessment of the quality of performance of health personnel in developing preventive and curative healthcare.

- Government of India (GOI) and world health organization (WHO) has setup department of continuing
education and research center at Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, new delhi.
- GOI established a chain of Health and family welfare training centers across the county central,
regional and state under the child survival and safe motherhood program.
- India population projects helped to strengthen infrastructure and facilities in the existing in service
training centers in India. (ANS 2005)
- 11th and 12th five year plans.

High power committee (1987) on nursing was appointed by the GOI, MOHFW. The committee
recommendations:

- Each nursing personnel must attend one or two refresher courses every year state and center to have
budgetary provisions for continuing education.
- States to have definite policies for deputing 5-10% of the staff for higher studies.
- Compulsory higher studies after five years of service. (TNAI,2001)
Recommendation for strengthening nursing and midwifery

 Strengthening nursing councils.

 Guidelines, standards and accreditation.
 Continuing education system
 Practicing registrations that are applied.
 Lifelong learning culture.
 Need to continue existing publications and need for national continuing nursing education journal.
 Develop models (inter-professional collaboration, measure the cost-effectiveness of education and
training)
 Effective networking and partnership with organizations and communities of practice, making use of
new technology and other mechanisms (WHO, strategic directions 2011-15)

CURRENT SCENARIO OF NURSING EDUCATION IN INDA:

Number of nursing colleges/schools

MSc 453
BSC Nursing 1454
PC BSc Nursing 622
GNM 2367
(Source: president of India address on Nurses Day on 12 May 2014) (www.indiannursingcouncil.org)

 30% of Nursing institutions do not have parental Hospital

 1:7 patients: students ratio, limited beds and inadequate clinical material.
 Inadequate transport facilities.
 1:32/1:40 teachers students ratio.
 Poor theory: practice correction.
 Library: Inadequate books and journals, no access to e-journals.
 Teaching staffs: paid less, job insecurity
 3-4 nursing programs are managed with very few faculty.
 Graduates are poorly motivated to come for PG courses.
 Part-time teachers: Unable to maintain student teacher relationship, academic counseling, mentoring,
etc.,
 No accommodation facilities within campus.
 No faculty development programs.
 High faculty turnover.

NEED FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION IN NURSING:

 To ensure safe and effective nursing care.
 To meet health needs of the population.
 To update the knowledge of the nurses and prepare them for meeting the challenging roles.
 To help in career development.
 To development wise leaders and competent practitioners.
 To recognize current social changes and to foresee the future ones.
 To help the personnel to acquire specialized skills and meet technologic adjuncts.
 To develop clinical specialists for direct care and for teaching and consultative role to help students
and staff nurses to reach higher levels of competency.
 To prepare the nurses for research.
 To ful-fill the requirement of a high degree of skill, knowledge, competence and educational
preparation.
 To aid in additional preparation for the position that the nurses are already holding or to prepare them
for other positions.
 To provide and prepare faculty who see continuing nursing education as a personal responsibility as
well as professional and university responsibility.
 To develop the practicing abilities of the nurse.
 The recognize gaps in the knowledge of nurse.
  To improve the communication between the participants, faculty, community, and health sector.
 To test the participants ability to do formal academic study.
 To shape or support university education polices and practices.
 To ensure the quality of education.
 To maintain academic standards.
 To meet educational requirements.

FUNCTIONS OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION:

 Leads to improved professional practice.
 Adis in updating knowledge and skills at all the levels of the organization.
 Keeps abreast of the latest trends and development in techniques.
 Equips with knowledge of current research and developments.
 Helps in learning new knowledge and maintain old competencies.
 Develops interest and job satisfaction amongst the staff.
 Develops sense of responsibility for being competent and knowledgeable.
 Creates supportive environment with opportunities for growth and communication.
 Helps in adjusting to change.
 Adis in developing leadership skills, motivation and better attitudes.
 Encourages in achieving self-development and self confidence.

FEATURES OF CONTINUING EDUCATION:

 Leads to improved professional practice.
 Aids in updating knowledge and skills at all the levels of the organization.
 Keeps abreast of the latest trends and development in techniques.
 Equips with knowledge of current research and developments.
 Helps in learning new knowledge and maintain old competencies.
 Develops interest and job satisfaction amongst the staff.
 Develops sense of responsibility for being competent and knowledgeable.
 Creates supportive environment with opportunities for growth and communication.
 Helps in adjusting to change.
 Aids in developing leadership skills, motivation and better attitudes.
 Encourages in achieving self-development and self-confidence.

FEATURES OF CONTINUING EDUCATION:

 Unified approach: all the institutions agree to a common definition of continuing education.
 Relationship with other systems: Multidisciplinary approach from all fields of health care should be
made available for best results.
 Comprehensiveness.
 Relevance in planning: well planned and organized content of course.
 Appropriateness in implementation.
 Evaluation of program effectiveness and participants growth.
 Competent people handle he responsibility of conducting the program.

PRINCIPLES OF CONTINUING EDUCATION:

 Provision for school and nursing faculty involvement in planning and teaching the continuing nursing
education courses tends to maintain high educational standards for the program.
 An adequate staff is essential to planning implementing and evaluating a program which is based on
learning needs and which has an impact on the quality of nursing care provided.
 Staff services are required with sufficient qualities and numbers to implement the planned program:
o Advisory
o Secretarial
o Administrative
o Supportive
 o Assistance with research, publicity, evaluation, tools, data analysis and computer
programming.
 Continuing nursing education program maybe decentralized (i.e., faculty of an academic department
would initiate, plan, implement and evaluate its own program of continuing education) or centralized
(i.e., a separate department or extension division is responsible for the continuing nursing education
program for the entire university) or maybe a combination of both.

ELEMENTS OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION:

 Learner: learner is identified as a nurse as a person and as a citizen. All three aspects of lifelong
learning is identified:
o Diversity as a part of learning process which contributes to the development of the individual.
o The learner plays different roles in his life.
o Self-directed learning.
 Teacher/Nurse Educator: The role and function of educator includes:
o To follow the concept of lifelong learning and encourage nurses to pursue the same.
o Being aware of the sources of information.
o Educator should act as role model.
o Creative teaching is essential.
o He/She must to show interest and concern for every member of the class.
o Being aware of learning differences among individuals.
o Play multiple roles: guide, motivator, evaluator, administrator, etc.
o Help learner to discover new approaches to solve the problem.
o Instill confidence and adequacy in students.

FORMS OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION:

Formal and informal

Formal

 Staff development programs.

 Short term courses related to the professional areas.
 Recognized forms of post secondary learning activities.
 Degree credit courses by students
 Under degree career training.
 Work force training.
 Formal personal enrichment courses.
 Experimental learning as applied to problem-solving

Informal

 Self-directed learning.
 Online certification programs.
 Case report studies.

THE PROGRESS OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION:

 Continuing education must achieve coalition between nursing, medicine, dentistry and other health care
fields in the development of new structures for administration and financing. Interdisciplinary
programs must be established to avoid duplication of effort, time and money as well as to assist in the
creation of team approach to health care.
 It is a common belief seen among nurses that they feel their education finishes when they complete the
basic nursing program. Once a nurse always a nurse. But with fast changes in medical technology nurse
has to keep updating her knowledge, continuing nursing education program should be planned on
regular basis.
 While planning continuing education or in-service education the following steps needs to be followed:
- Identify the learning needs of the nursing personnel.
 - Setting goals and defining specific objectives.
- Planning and organizing course and designing learning experience.
- Assessing available resources.
- Establishing a workable budget.
- Implementing plan of teaching.
- Evaluating the program.
- May restart the process.
-
1. Identifying learning needs
To identify the learning needs of the individuals survey, slip technique (writing opinion on a small
pieces of paper), meeting, skill assessment studies, interviews, consultation, meeting, achievement test
may be used. The need maybe individual organizational or community.

2. Setting goals and defining specific objectives:

It is important to establish goals/purpose and define the specific objectives, which will give direction in
planning and assist in the determination of appropriate objectives. They should be stated on behavioral
terms and serve different functions.

3. Planning and organizing course and designing learning experience

Planning and organization is the relation of efforts and capacities of individuals and groups engaged
upon a common task in such a way as to secure the desired objectives with the leatest friction and the
most satisfaction for whom the task is done.

Planning progress:

Nurses identify most closely with planning for client care, but the principles of planning apply to a wide variety
of situations various approaches may be used in planning for continuing education.

 Establishing goals with the purpose or philosophy of the organization: purpose gives direction in
planning. It identifies the reason for existence. Purpose is based on the learning needs and societal
needs, so it has to be reviewed from time to time and estates as appropriate.
The planning formula: it provides a framework for program planning:
What is to be done?
Get a clear understanding of what your unit is expected to do in relation to the work assigned to it?
Break the unit’s work into separate jobs in terms of the economical use of men, equipment space,
materials and money you have at your disposal.
What is it necessary?
When breaking the units into separate jobs, think of the objectives of each job, this may suggest
alternate methods or the possibility of eliminating parts of jobs or whole jobs.

How is it to be done?
In relation to each job, look for better ways of doing it in terms of the utilization of men materials,
equipment and money.
Where is it to be done?
Study the flow of work and the availability of the materials, equipment and best suited men for doing
the job.
When is it to be done?
Fit the job into a time table schedule that will permit the maximum utilization of men, materials,
equipment and money, and the completion of the job at the wanted time.
Who should do the job?
Determine what skills are needed to do job? Successfully selected and train the man best fitted for the
job.
 Establish goals and objectives: planning moves towards goals which are significant and realistic,
which can be attained. An objective is specific it is a desired end or accomplishment to be sought.
Objectives:
- To assist the nurse in identifying and meeting current learning needs and those
needs generated by changing professional practice.
- To encourage the nurse to identify and influence societal changes which have
implications for nursing and to modify practice accordingly.
 - To promote the development of leadership potential for nurse.
- To identify nursing problems and in seeking solutions to them.
- Too develop varied teaching methods for extending nursing knowledge and
competency.
- To facilitate return to practice.
- To assess the health needs of nurses, hospitals and community to plan implement
and evaluate educational programs in hospitals and health facilities.
 Determining needs and priorities (the course of action required to meet the specific objective):
Assessment of needs will be done by survey, through mailed questionnaire, interview formal informal
discussions with participants (feedback) and checklist. After assessing the needs prioritization of needs
has to be done.
 Assess the available resources for establishing the program:
- Careful assessment of ways and means to meet the established program goals.
Faculty finances and facilities maybe seen as the major resources required for a
continuing nursing education program.
- A broad survey of the major resources are necessary to the total continuing
education program and a more detailed assessment for any specific course or
activity.
 Plan the budget appropriate for the program: separate budget is required for each specific activity and
each individual offering is expected activity and each individual offering as expected to be self-
supporting. Budget requires ascertain all the anticipated costs of the offering.
 Selection of resources: resources are categorized as financial resources, human resources, facilities,
equipment and supplies.
 Implementing the program: The program must be implemented as per the set objectives and the
resources available:
- Develop the agenda
- Prepare correspondence to guest speaker.
- Conduct the education program.
 Evaluating the program: evaluation must be done at the end of the program to identify the successful
implementation of the program. This maybe done by using rating scale, interviews, attitude test,
observation of skills, questionnaire, pre and post-test and audio or video tapes.

EVALUATION:
 Staff development program is an important part of assisting performance improvement at
organizational, faculty/central department, unit and individual levels. Continuing education program is
the most efficient and effective method of training the employee because of its concordance with three
basic laws of nursing law of readiness law of exercise and the law of effect.
 Continuing education is most appropriate way of teaching the employees the knowledge and skills that
can be learnt relatively in a short time. The success of the training program depends upon the trainer if
he/she understands training principles and methods properly.

DEFINITION OF EVALUATION:
 Evaluation is the process of finding out how the development or training process has affected the
individual team and the organization.
 Evaluation is a value judgment on an observation performance test or indeed any data whether directly
measured or inferred.

TYPES OF EVALUATION:
 Formative evaluation: evaluation that is used to modify of improve a professional development
program is called formative evaluation. Formative evaluation is done at intervals during a professional
development program. Participates are asked for feedback and comments, which enable the staff
developers to make mid course corrections and to do fine turning to improve the quality of the
program.
 Summative evaluation: evaluation to determine the overall effectiveness of a professional development
program is called summative evaluation is done at the conclusion of the program. It is collected at three
levels: educator practices, organizational changes, and student outcomes.
LEVELS OF EVALUATION:

 Reaction
 Learning
 Behavior and actions and
 Results

 Reaction: Measure how those who participate in professional development activities react to what has
been presented? Although typically characterized as the happiness quotient participates need to have
positive reaction to a professional development activity if information is to be learned and behavior is
to be changed.
 Learning: Measure the extent that professional development activities have improved participants
knowledge increased skills and changed their attitudes. Changes in instructional behavior and actions
cannot take place without these learning objectives being accomplished.
 Behavior: Measures that takes place when the participant completes a professional development
activity. It is important to understand however that instructors cannot change their behaviors unless
they have an opportunity to do so.
 Result: Measures the final results that occurred because an instructor participated in professional
development activities. Evaluating results represents the greatest challenge in professional

STAGES OF DEVELOPING CNE:

 Analysis
- Analyze needs
- Goals
- Priorities
- Resources
- Constraints
- Alternate delivery systems
- Determine scope and sequence of training program(by task and job analysis)
 Design:
- Emphasizes what will be taught
- Determine training approach
- Develop learning objectives
- Performance measures
- Training program specification.

Formulate Objectives
Determine Duration of course
Decide Place/venue
Select Team/except/coordinator
Define Participants: Level, Number, method of
selection
Provide Learning experience: Time/duration of
theory, practical
 Development:
- Emphasizes on how the content will be taught
- Develop curriculum guide
- Lesson plan
- Supportive teaching aids
- Revise material
 Implementation
- Implement training plan
- Conduct training
- Formative evaluation
- Document training results
- Evaluation
- Conduct summative evaluation
- Analyze collected information
 - Initiate corrective action.

Evaluation methods: Observation, questionnaires, interview, self-diaries.

EXAMPLES OF CONTENT AREAS FOR CONDUCTING CNE

 General programs
- Nursing process
- Intravenous injection
- Communication
- Ethics
 Hospital specific program
- Maternity
- Pediatrics
- Surgical
- Orthopedics
 Area specific program
- CVP care
- Neonate CPR
- Ventilator dialysis

Key point: the principle of adult learning must be kept in mind while conducting continuing nursing education
(CNE)

ADULT LEARNING
INTRODUCTION:
 Adult learning is the practice of teaching and educating adults at work place during in service
education program. The field of adult learning was introduced by Malcolm Knowles. It is a new area of
study which involves understanding how adult learns best as compare to children and teens team. Adult
education is a normal and informal instruction and aids to study of grown-up people. Efforts are made
towards the self-development of the people who take initiative to solve da-to-day life problems.
 Malcolm Knowles a pioneer in the study of adult learning observed that adults learn best when:
- They understand why something is important to know or do.
- They have freedom to learn in their own way.
- Learning is experimental.
- The time is right for them to learn.
- The process is positive and encouraging.

NEED OF ADULT LEARNING:

 To enlarge the cultural span of the individuals.
 For healthy recreation and relaxation properly planned program of social education will provided.
 Political consciousness and civil participation.
 Social efficiency and cooperation.
 Economic betterment and self-sufficient.
 For promotion purpose.
 For skill development.

PHILOSOPHY OF ADULT EDUCATION:

 Adult education does not imply only to make adults literate. In fact it means to educate total
personality of adult and adult literacy is of fundamental importance for the all-round development of
the country. We make them literate i.e., in other words we help them to acquire command over the
tools of knowledge or reading in acquiring this command we strive to educate them into economic
 social and political problems of the day in order that they may be come intelligent citizen for taking
rights decisions when they are faced with a number of alternatives. If they fail to acquire this skill the
mean and self-centered people will exploit them for their own interests. Consequently the demands
will fail and will yield place to dictatorship.
 Form above it is clear that the purpose of adult education is not only to impart bookish knowledge.
Infact it aims at the education of the total personality of the adult. This will be possible only when we
try to develop in them various types of skills with a members of the society. We have to help the adults
to acquire useful knowledge in professional, political economic and social spheres. The main
philosophy of adult education is need based and adult education is based on the prior experience and
knowledge.

SCOPE OF ADULT LEARNING IN NURSING:

There are rapid scientific and technological changes which have greatly affected the learning process of
individuals. The purpose of adults learning is improve one’s competency and knowledge due to the following
factors:

 Changing social trends: as the trend is changing at a faster pace it helps to keep an individual updated
with the new technology.
 Population mobility: it helps the migrating population to adapt themselves with the new trend.
 Changing rules of hospital: the hospital not only concerned with the providing medical treatment they
are also engaged in other activities like research, this helps the individual to take-up new challenges
and roles.
 Health statistics: adult learning helps in updating an individual’s knowledge regarding various health
related aspects e.g., mortality, morbidity, crude birth rate, specific rates and other rats and rations.

The scope of adult learning in nursing practice is very significant and nurses are committed for life long learning
to themselves and it needs to be continued throughout the professional life. If the nurse lacks motivation in
learning new concepts she will continue practicing the old trends in nursing practice which are suppose to
change with time and social trends.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ADULT LEARNING:

Malcolm Knowles identifies following characters:

 Adults are autonomous and self-directed: they need to be free to direct themselves, their teachers must
actively involve adult participants in learning process and serve as facilitators from them.
 Adults are goal oriented: as the adult wants to attain, sense of appreciate adult learning.
 Adults have accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that may include work
related activities family responsibilities and previous education.
 Adults are relevancy oriented: So they must see a reason for learning something every individual have
their own personal and professional objectives and they only try to increase their learning horizons in
these particular objectives by directing them towards these objective.
 Adults are practical focusing on the aspects of a lesson must useful to them in their work. They may
not be interested in knowledge for its own sake. Instructions must tell participants explicitly how the
lesson will be useful to them on job.
 Adults needs to be shown respect: Adults are people with years of experience and a wealth have
established values believes and opinion. Hence they need to be respected.
 Adults tend to have a problem centered orientation to learning: Emphasize how learning can be
applied in a practical setting. Use case studies problem solving groups and participatory activities to
enhance learning.
 Individuals difference among people increase with age.
 Self-declaration: Adult have a deep need to be self directed and motivated to have effective learning.

PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING:

 Needs assessment.
 Safety in the environment and process.
 Sound relationship between teacher and learner and among learners.
 Sequence of content and reinforcement.
  Praxis which mean action with reflection or learning by doing.
 Respect for learner as decision-maker.
 Involve cognitive affective and psychomotor aspects of learning.
 Immediacy of learning.
 Team work and use of small groups.
 Engagement of learner in what they are learning?

 Accountability how do they know.

IMPORTANCE OF ADULT LEARNING:

 Too many people think that because they have attained a certain age, they are too old to be
educated this is true; as along as you are alive there is still a lot that you can achieve. Studying
might be tough but many adult education programs take that into consideration.
 Getting a higher education is never a bad idea. The latter years still count for something.
 By the content or complexity of an adult education program you can tell if it is something you can
do or not. However if you are the type who really wanted to do that course you would not let it
make any difference to you if it were complex or not.
 Sometimes you lack of a diploma can hold you back professionally at that time adult learning is
very importance.
 Adult learning helps in updating the knowledge.
 It helps in improving professional growth and also in productivity.
 It helps in maintaining the interest during the work period.

FACTORS/ELEMENTS THAT INFLUENCE THE ADULT LEARNING:

 Preparing the learners: if the learners are well prepared for the adult learning then it will be easy in
conducting the adult learning.
 Climate setting: The environment and the physical set-up should be appropriate so that it can be
done effectively.
 Mutual setting: sometimes for particular learning topics help of other department is also needed.
So in that case it should be managed properly. For example of the learning program is decided to
taught on projector and by use of other machines instruments then there should be in the
collaboration of the technicians.
 Identification of learning needs: As the aim of adult learning is to improve the knowledge in that
field in which learner is no efficient but need to be efficient and learning program is provided on
any other topic which is of no use in one’s profession. Then that learning is not fulfilling the
objectives of adult learning.
 Formation of learning objectives: Before the adult learning there should be setting of the objectives
so that effectiveness can be maintained,
 Learning plan design: learning plan of teaching makes the teaching program fruitful and decreases
the chance of time wastage.
 Learning plan execution: For every making learning plan execution is must because it shows that
learning plan is appropriate or not. So that after implementing the plan there should be no
hindrance in learning and teaching process.
 Evaluation: Evaluation is done in for checking the effectiveness of the teaching-learning program.
So if it is not performed properly then it is difficult to assess the extent of learning by learning.

RESEARCH IN CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Research is searching for the facts or truth research in continuing education (CNE) is broader in scope which
gives insight to the subject matter. Research in this area is often ignored and does not seek much importance.
The emergence of new knowledge and changes in all the fields demands one to update him or her in order to be
an effective nurse.

DISTANCE EDUCATION:

(Print and non-print instructional media)

 Holmberg (1981) has defined distance education as: The various forms of study at all levels which are not under
the continuous immediate supervision of tutors present with their student in lecture rooms or no the same
premises but which nevertheless benefit from the planning guidance and tuition of a tutorial organization it
should be noted that distance learning is seen by the council for educational technology(CET) and the scotish
council for education technology (SCET) as one type of open learning and that open learning systems are
defined as those which offer students measure of flexibility and authority to study the program of their choice
when and where they wish and at a pace to suite their circumstance.

 Distance learning including the use of broadcasting is a manifestation of education technology.

 The best use that educational technology can be put to make it to the average teacher a better one by
helping him rather is to than by attempting to replace him.
 Distance learning is making of a positive contribution to the quality of instruction.

With these modest assumption in view I would like to call upon those in power as also those who put them in
power to prepare themselves for comprehending and putting to an effective use the new information order.

--- The UNESCO Secretary -General Amadou Mahtar M bow strikes the rig-ht note when he says that the
new information order envisages a multiplication of source of information and an increase and
diversification in the expression and dissemination of points of view. Such an oraer-eal:ls for an intimate
and dynamic sharing of com- munications technology at the global level.

Educational Technology is useful a learner so far as it increases the range of available alternative in a strategy
of learning. Medica can prove effective not just because they involve more than one senses but because
they add to the possibilities of a learner going for grouping, image-fixing organizing categorizing and
associating. Aligel Palene Scotish council for Education Technology has drawn attention t.0- w hat he
calls. Technology, whereby as many different media as possible are evoked as being essential to a
particular learning package for no better reason than that exists.
It is here that Educational Technology has to play a vital role, the main thrust of educational technology
so conceived, is to provide a meaningful linkage between the process of learning, the media component of
learning-and the product of learning. This could be done by injecting the spirit of system approach
designing, executing and evaluating teaching learning situations.

OBJECTIVES OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

The following are the man objectives of distance education:
• To advance and disseminate learning and knowledge by a diversity of means.
• To provide a second opportunity to study to those who missed such an opportunity earlier.
• To have a chance to those who could not go to the conventional system and they would no
like to study.
• There is shortage of scientific and technical manpower in some countries and the traditional
system is unable to cope with the demand. The media of distance education and open
universities are established with a view to meet such demands.
• To improve the quality and standard of education. There is a need to make education
relevant to the needs of the country and to provide lifelong education for working people and
housewives.
• Another objective of distance-education and open school is to reduce the pressure of the
secondary education students.
• The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has the following objectives:
- To provide opportunities for higher education to a large population.
- To promote the educational standard
- To encourage the system of distance-education
- To coordinate and determine the standards of education of the country.
- It facilitates the provision of our constitution, i.e. equalization of education
opportunities

Concept of Distance Education:

As a concept, distance education has recent origin. It has emerged as a result of rapidly changing national
and international situation marked by new human needs and aspirations. Change has become watchword of
successful living and education has been recognized as the tool for bringing this change in the desired
manner. The growing health of experience, increasing funds of knowledge and continuous explosions of
information has changed the concept of education itself. The continuous and growing research,
development of new frontiers of knowledge and application of new technologies and doctrines have
smashed the water- tight and closely designed compartment disciplines of past and has given birth to
interdisciplinary approach.

INTRODUCTION
The term distance education covers various forms of study at all levels which are not covered in lecture
rooms or one the same premises but which nevertheless, benefit from the planning, guidance and tuition or a
tutorial organization. The concept of education as a learning, instrumentality is, however, reinterpreted in
distance education. In distance education, learning takes place, that is the external reality is internationalist
through the mediation of teacher but through the message and message that the puts out. In distance
education, the learning process is mediated by the books, materials and electronics messages the manage
from the teachers, in that sense distance education is conceptually a new form of education. It is a
method of imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes which is rationalized by the application of division of
labor and organizational principles as well as by the extensive use of technical media, especially for the
purpose of producing high quality teaching materials which makes impossible to strict great number of
students at place wherever the live. It is an industrialized form of teaching and learning. Distance education
is quite innovative, flexible, and expensive. The learner is to make progress according to his own capacity.
Nothing is imposed on him from outside and everything is achieved by himself. That is why the system is
an effective instrument of social and psychological upliftment of masses. It can be rightly termed as
democratic because millions of aspirants can fulfil their ambitions and unfulfilled dreams by undertaking a
course in this system.

The Commission Education (1964-66) has rightly pointed out that 'good correspondence courses in
thoughtfully identified fields of service will create demand for themselves and can help participation
by the people in introducing better methods of production. Further it helps to refresh the knowledge of
the educated persons and enables him to keep pace with the new knowledge in the field of his interest.
Not only is this there continued incongruence between the reality of life- long learning and
institutional and system response. Distance education learning is also useful to those who desire to
enrich their lives by studying subjects of cultural and esthetic value like art appreciation, literary
criticism, etc. Thus, the system not only helps to uplift economic standards of society but to enrich its
cultural, intellectual and esthetic standards of people.

COMPONENTS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

The conventional education has restricted itself to a privileged class of society. Traditional education
is based on the personal communication and distance education is based on industrialized and
technological communication. The fundamental aspects of distance education throwing light on the
nature of distance education can be enumerated as:

• The absence of a discriminatory entrance requirement

• A result driven concept of quality
• A success based concept of program and service design
• A multiple strategy and matching model approach to program delivery
• A development concept of equality
• It is the most flexible educational system which is not limited by time and place
restrictions
• It can be used at any level from primary to higher stage
• Under this system leaner can progress at his own speed
• It can supplement the studies of regular students along with being a separate system.

LEARNING SYSTEM
Distance education is a fairly new term. It denotes the forms of study which are not led by teachers present
in the classroom but are supported by tutors and an organization at a distance from students. This implies
for the students, interaction with the course material, with tutors and counsellors. The study is an
individual activity and the students basically work on their own. These non-contiguous activities may be
supplemented by on campus tutorials; lectures, laboratory work, counseling sessions and other face to face
interaction with the tutors and other fellow students
The term distance learning system is used to indicate projects that attempt to develop the full potential
of distance learning model, without relying on traditional educational structures. The major features of
the system are:
• Great flexibility in teaching methods and students groups covered as compared to
conventional education.
• Production in bulk of learning materials (such as text, kits and broadcast, etc.) and system
search for and use of existing infrastructure and facilities in higher education (libraries,
broadcasting organization, space, printers and publishers).
Lower recurrent unit cost per student than the conventional classroom teaching and lower capital cost per
student.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The organizational structure for distance learning by and large is common and is shown as
developed by Miller and Rice (1967). Two major operational systems are distinguished in
distance learning institution:

a. Course sub-system
b. Student sub-system
COURSE SUB-SYSTEM

It is concerned with design, production, distribution and reception of the teaching materials
used by the institution.

The course sub-system is largely influenced by availability or suitability of a

particular media, or media chosen by the organizers of distance learning organizations.
Various alternatives are available taking into account the target learning group, nature of
course and application in real life situation. From this point of view various media can
be classified into following categories:

• Printed material: This is largely (direct reference to the self-learning guide) useful for
providing basic understanding and self instructions. It is self instructional material
available in the form of book s, booklets, instruction kits, guidance instructions, self-
instruction manuals, reference book and do it yourself kits, etc.
• Audio material: It is a verbal instruction material available in various forms. Pre-recorded
lectures can be reproduced by this medium. It has limited utility but very good ready
reference. Tele p hone, telephone conferences cyclops. ATR recorded radio programs are
the various media available in this category.
• Video Materials: The visual attributes have greater
Impact on learners. It has a great accessibility and wider coverage. It involves no human interaction

Educational television broadcasts, films, relay tapes, slides, prestel and opted systems, lights a_r:1.d so und
programs are some of the media available in this category. Retention capacities, ability to display real
life situations make the media more effective and useful.
• Interaction sessions: These are the oldest and most popular conventional media of learning and
teaching. It involves human interactions to varied extent lectures small group discussions, seminars,
symposia, workshops, conferences: tutorials, self-help groups are some of the most popular
techniques under this category. Support by a mix of audio and video it can create a great impact on the
learners. It helps to develop higher cognitive abilities and effect attributes as well as basic
understanding of the subject matter.
Apart from these methods, laboratory and field work, assignments, experimental .kits, practical experience
based equipments, tools, and kits are other media of instructions.

STUDENTS SUB-SYSTEM

This sub-system decides how to admit students, allocating them to various courses, local centres, tutors
and counselors, collection of fees and ensuring that they receive teaching material, administering assessment
and examination processes, issue of certificate to successful candidate s and maintenance of records. This
subsystem essentially is administrative one involving management and control of students through the
institution.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE LEARNING SYSTEM

The student’s sub-system is mostly influenced by certain factors which the organizers have to consider in order
to gain proper response from the students. Opening of opportunity for education to new target population,
deprived previously because of geographical isolation, lack of formal academic requirements, caste, creed and
religious bias, employment condition or socioeconomic cultural barriers. Another factor influencing the
system is the identification of particular target groups with their key characteristics (need, age, time
available for study, local facilities, etc.) to enable appropriate courses, learning methods and delivery
systems to be delivered for them.

RELATION OF RESEARCH AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

There is a strong relationship between the research and continuing education. As through the continuing
education we teach the evidence based practice and scientific principles, which are the basic part of
research. Many of researches are because of the continuing education, which encourages the learner to do
research projects or to be a part of them. Research and continuing education both are to keep up-to-date
knowledge with the changing needs.

AIMS OF RESEARCH IN CONTINUING EDUCATION

• To assess the need for organizing continuing education program.
• To objectively assess the needs of the learner.
• To identify the areas of learning required.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
• To assess the impact of conducting such continuing education nursing program.
• To core late the effectiveness of continuing nursing education program with the output expected.
AREAS OF RESEARCH
Research can be conducted in the following areas. They are:
• Need assessment of the learner.
• Content for CNE.
• Teaching methods and materials.
• Evaluation.
• Variables influencing the effectiveness of CNE.
• CNE.
• Cost effectiveness in organizing and conducting CNE

IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IN CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Professionalism: As by the researches, we get recognize the need to extend the base of nursing knowledge as
part of professionalism responsibility and endorse scientific investigations as a way to achieve this
objective. And by providing that knowledge in the continuing education one can improve the
professionalism.
 • Accountability: Research improves the scientifical body of knowledge and critical thinking, and so
by continuing education the accountability can be improved and maintained.
• Decision-making practice: New standards are established by the researches only. And exploring the
new researches in continuing education helps in the establishing the decision-making practice.
The ultimate goal of research in continuing education is to improve practice of by practitioners so
that services provided will be maximally effective. A profession seeking to enhance its
professional stature strives for the continual development of a scientific body of knowledge
fundamental to its practice.
 Evidence based practice: It helps in encouraging for the evidence based practice.
 Updating with current issues: By exploring the research studies during continuing education the
learner become updated with current practices and issues

THE ROLE OF DIRECTOR OF CONTINUING NURSING EDUCATION

The main challenge confronting the director of continuing education is to develop intensive and
pragmatically oriented courses and workshops which will measure up to the university's
standard of educational excellence. The ten specific roles of the director of continuing
education: ·
• Adventurer: The director must give free reign of her imagination. She/he should search
targets and track down the non obvious.
• Mover: The director should be ambitious. Should be open minded, concerning new ideas.
• Actor: The director's real concern that what she/he is doing benefits everyone involved can
spell out the difference between rejection and ace in behaviour on the part of the learner.
• Prophet: The director must have the ability to gauge the winds in change, set his/her activity
accordingly and assess participant needs and restless to learn.
• Student: The director involved in continuing education for nursing should acquire
knowledge of social psychology and learning theory with special reference to adult learning
and develop s kill in leadership and decision making, i.e. the director should continue own
education through courses, workshop, reading and on the job training.
• Specialist regarding the customer: The nurse participant s hold the destiny of a continuing
education service in their hands. If they are displeased all efforts become meaningless. One-
way the director of the service can try to please her public is to climb into their skins and
their situations and attempt to view the programs from their points of view.
• Facilitator: The most important task of the teacher in continuing education is to
facilitate self-directed or mutual learning. In-depth knowledge of specific subject is not
nearly as important to a director of continuing educational as to a teacher in undergraduate
or graduate program in nursing.
• Delegator: The director of continuing education cannot be all things to all
people, nor can she have all of the knowledge and skills necessary for successful
implementation of continuing education programs.
• Compassionate peer: The director must be sounding board for staff and participant
problems and become a leader in the most comprehensive meaning of the word.
• Evaluator: The director must take leadership in promoting staff evaluation,
participant evaluation and program evaluation

BENEFITS OF CNE
• Professional: Change in knowledge , skill and attitude
• Personal: Increased job satisfaction and better patient care
• Organizational: Better performance and quality patient care.

SUMMARY

Continuing nursing education is a means of broadening the scope of knowledge of the individual, thereby,
improving the educational background and giving self- satisfaction or enhancing the earning potential. It
helps in keeping pace with the changing patterns in health education by adding new information.
Continuing education is being practiced in several nursing institutions in the country, some of them
having a separate department for continuing nursing education which helps the nurses to keep tern
updated of the recent advancement in health science
CONCLUSION

CNE bridges the gap between knowledge and demand of service, research and practice, educational ideals
and reality of clinical setting, employee's capabilities and job demands.

+
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

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research and education trust; 1970.

Journal
1. Indian Journal of Continuing Nursing Education: http://
www.crnchvellore.edu/misc/journal/home.htrnl
2. Indian Journal of Nursing Studies: Choithram College of Nursing:
http://www.cconursing.com/College journal
3. Indian Journal of Continuing Nursing Education: cnecon@cmcvellore.com
4. International Journal of Nursing Education: www.ijone.org
5. Journal of continuing education in nursing: http://www. ncbi.nJm.nih.gov
6. Lippincott Nursing Journal: Http: //www.nursingcenter. Com/Inc

Website
1. Global Nurse 4U: Inscol Academy: Available Online: http:/ / www. india.inscolacademy.co
m/continuing - nursing-education-in-India/
2. Lippincott's Nursing Solutions: Available Online: http://lippincottsolutions .com /solutions
/continuing education.
3. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS); Continuing
Nursing Education: Department of Nursing: www.nimhans.kar.nic/nursing/ nursing
2. html
4. Singapore Nursing Board: Continuing Nursing Education, Online Available: http ://www
 .heaJthprofessionals.gov.sg/content/hprof/snb/en/others/contact_info.html
5. Sigma Theta Tau International Hon o r Society of Nursing:
Continuing Education Courses for Nurses - Professional Development: Available Online:
http://www.nursingsociety.org/Education/Professiona!Developmen t/
Pages/ProfessionalDevelopment.aspx

Tamil Nadu Nurses and Midwifery Council: Continuing Nursing Education Program: Available
Online : http:// www.tamilnadunursingcouncil.com