IDENTIFICATION OF COMPETENCIES NEEDED FOR A REFRESHER COURSE AS PERCEIVED BY REFRESHER NURSES (INACTIVE NURSE, CONTINUING EDUCATION, RE-ENTRY, RETRAINING).
Contributors: University of Georgia.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 148
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.
Description: The purpose of this study was to identify a list of professional competencies for refresher nurses that could be achieved through taking a refresher course.

The proposed sample in this descriptive study consisted of 171 refresher nurses who had successfully completed the refresher course, between 1979-1983, conducted by a diploma school of nursing and hospital located in greater metropolitan Atlanta. One hundred-two of the refresher nurses surveyed responded to the questionnaire. Data were collected by a two part instrument: Part I contained demographic data, and Part II contained the Six Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance, developed and validated by Schwirian (1978), listing 52 professional competencies which are divided into six categories. Statistical analysis used to analyze the data were percentages and frequencies.

The findings of the survey included the fact that all respondents felt better prepared to practice nursing after the refresher course. The refresher nurses perceived 29 out of 52 competencies (56%) in four out of six categories were taught in the refresher course. Forty-two of the 52 competencies (81%) were perceived by the refresher nurses as being utilized in clinical practice.

Conclusions verified that Schwirian's 6-D Scale was a useful tool in determining the competencies perceived by refresher nurses as being taught in the course, and being utilized in practice. Inactive nurses, who were enrolled in the refresher course utilized in this study, have returned to the profession part-time or full-time. Ninety-five nurses worked for some period of time after completing the course, and 77 of these are still currently employed. Knowledge, skills and confidence are necessary in order for the refresher nurse to return to practice. The relative importance of these competencies depends on the individual perception of the refresher nurse.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-10, Section: A, page: 3647.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, 1986.

School code: 0077.