Program characteristics of continuing education in surgical nursing that are of interest for professional nurses who work in surgical unit of public sectors around Bangkok Metropolitan area

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine interesting and non interesting program characteristics of surgical nursing in continuing education of surgical nurses who are working at public sectors around Bangkok Metropolitan Area, and to compare between interesting and non interesting continuing education groups. The cross sectional descriptive survey was conducted in 15 hospitals from May, 1995 to November, 1995 using a standardized questionnaire administered and interview. The respondent were 400 professional nurses in surgical unit. The instrument was adapted from Iowa continuing education scale (IOWA). The results showed the percentage of interested group who that needed continuing education in surgical nursing was 63.50%, while 36.50% were non interesting group who wanted to study in other field. Management was one of the most interesting program characteristics for non interesting group. To determine the important and non important program characteristics in continuing education of surgical nursing course that content relevancy are of the most important program chracteristics, and timing of course was the least important program chracteristics in continuing education of surgical nursing course. In comparing between interesting and non interesting groups, whether they have worked as part time nurses, received income from salary, have high administrative position, and have studied in other branch of bachelor degree, their conditions were related significantly to interesting group at level p <0.05 and they differed from non-interesting group.