Paper
Thursday, 20 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Models for Nurses' Work Environment
Advancing Knowledge about Registered Nurses' Educational Pursuits in South Central United States
Carol Reineck, PhD, CCRN, CNAA, Department of Acute Nursing Care, Regional Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, San Antonio, TX, USA
Learning Objective #1: Discuss the nature and extent of educational pursuits among employed Registered Nurses in South Central United States.
Learning Objective #2: Describe barriers (controllable and uncontrollable) to advancing one's own nursing education, as perceived by RNs in South Central United States.
Purpose and Background. Registered Nurses have varying levels of opportunity and means to advance their education. Advanced education equips the workforce to manage the complexities of today’s global healthcare environment. A survey was conducted by a federal Regional Center for Health Workforce Studies in 2004 among the community of employed RNs in three states near the U.S./Mexico Border. One dimension asked RNs about their enrollment in education programs, degree being pursued, and barriers to enrollment and progression. Method: The study was descriptive, non-experimental. The biennial survey was administered to a random sample of 4,500 employed RNs who held a valid, unrestricted license in Texas, Oklahoma, or New Mexico. RNs responded about employment status, work environment, and demographic characteristics. The response rate across the three states ranged from 28% to 35%, yielding 1,319 RN respondents. Although the response rate was not as high as desired, perhaps due to the length of the comprehensive survey, rich qualitative data from 30% of respondents who wrote responses to selected items revealed important themes. Findings. Survey data indicated that in this region only ten percent of employed nurses are enrolled in a formal program to advance their education. Younger nurses are more inclined to pursue education than are those more senior. Nurses spend between 12 and 25 hours each week in school activities. The qualitative data text analysis reveals barriers to nursing education which include scheduling, family responsibilities, need for financial aid, course requirements, and distance. Implications. A great majority of nurses in this region are not pursuing more education, related to an identified mix of controllable and uncontrollable barriers. These factors should drive future collaborative research, practice, and global policy consideration in order that nursing knowledge may advance.

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