Nursing is a profession that deals with diverse topics and issues affecting the health of human that often change and become complicated with time. Thus, it is always advisable for nurses handling complex operations in the field of healthcare such as transport nurses to regularly update themselves with new developments through continuing education. Further, it is noteworthy that continuing education plays a critical role in breaking the monotony and boredom brought about in the nursing profession by just learning same things for a several years and practicing the same thing. Through continuing education nurse are presented with the freedom and opportunity to choose from a wide range of advanced specialties in the healthcare profession that they may be interested in pursuing. The role of the transport nurse is more intense than an emergency room nurse or a bedside nurse. Transport nurses have the educational background and experience which prepares them to assess, formulate a plan of care, implement and evaluate the care of acutely ill or injured patients. They also have the leadership and collaborative and interpersonal skills needed to coordinate the multidisciplinary teams often times required to care for these critical patients. Continuing education is a way through which nurses can be able to credit themselves with a number of new topics as well as the relevant information that is most likely to be of great assistance to them in their daily practice (Vevoda, Vevodova & Proskova, 2018). Some of the courses that would available for studying by nurses who wish to pursue the channel of continuing education include patient safety, infection control, occupational health and safety, legal and regulatory matters concerning the healthcare or the nursing profession as well as leadership skills necessary in the healthcare sector.
Being among the reliable sources of credible information in the healthcare profession would necessitate the idea of nurse dealing with complex such transportation of patients to seek opportunities for continuing education. This is because nursing colleagues and patients will often have questions and issues for which they will require professional advice and assistance. In such a situation, it is extremely critical for a licensed nurse to be in a position to offer accurate, credible and reliable information. Moreover, continuing education helps the nurse to remain in the learning mode even though they may have graduated more than one decade ago. Updates and changes of regulatory requirements in the nursing profession that frequently take place can be well-understood and traced by those nurses for always at per with the new developments and regular training in the nursing profession. These updates have the capability of influencing the manner in which nurse offer their professional services and conduct their healthcare operations (Eslamian et al ., 2015). There are certain times when assessments used in determining the qualification of nurses become phased out owing to changing technology and the emergence of more complex medical conditions. In this way, it is vital for nurses to seek to acquire and make use of opportunities for continuing education in a manner that keeps them informed of any changes in the regulatory requirements of their health profession. Further, continuing education for nurses especially those offering specialized services plays a vital role in ensuring that they are adequately equipped with the relevant information and skills that enable them to attend to their patients effectively.
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Upon graduation from the nursing school as a nurse who deals with complex services and specialties such as transportation of the critically ill patients, it is the duty and responsibility of such nurses to continue their education for them to remain updated on matters concerning new research developments and findings. Knowledge has been described as one of the powerful tools that could be used in the improvement of the service provision and delivery in the healthcare sector. Considering that knowledge is a powerful tool, continuing with education helps to present nurses with the opportunity to make the difference in the lives of their patients. Some experts and educationist have also argued that nurses who deal with intensive and emergency services and specialties often find themselves faced with a myriad of opportunities that increase their chances of pursuing and building their careers (Griscti & Jacono, 2006). Some nurses are likely to end up offering their services in the health sector as researchers upon furthering their education. Additional qualifications for a nurse who decides to continue education will position himself or herself appropriately for things such as leadership and promotion at work. Nurses who hold certificates from continuing educations programs have always shown a high knowledge for safe, efficient, and effective patient care during inter-facility transport
While continuing with education or studying for the acquisition of additional qualification, nurses handling complex specialties such as transportation will be able to enhance abilities in making decisions and offering critical care to patient whenever there need. Making progress in studying for nurses do not have to be seen as a difficult or an impossible affair owing to the availability of schools that are ready and able to offer online or evening classes on nursing programs. This allows nurses to have convenience in handling their professional roles and responsibility as well as professional nursing studies during times that suite their schedules and availability. Some professional study programs and classes also make it possible and easier for the learners remain in touch and communicate with their professors and instructors Continuing education is a crucial requirement for workers in the nursing profession since it empowers them to remain relevant and effective in an environment characterized by advanced technologies, new skills and latest developments necessary in their fields (Asiamah, 2017). Besides, continuing education for those in the nursing profession may be regarded as a necessity when it comes to complying with laws, remain certified or licensed, or qualifying to become a member of a professional body or an association. Even though the nurses are regarded as important professionals in the healthcare sector, the continuing education is minimal a more important requirement. To provide continuity of care and be prepared for the worst-case scenario, a more effective plan, and training should be established. Although a critical care nurse may be well trained, there are situations and conditions would still require additional training and enlightenment.
According to estimations made by various researchers, slightly above twenty percent of the American population is expected to be above the age of 65 years by the year 2030. The aging population is expected to live longer owing to the availability of new technologies that are used in the treatment of complex medical conditions. Further, the massive influx of patients that have been seen in the United States in the last couple of years will most likely lead to the creation of enormous demand for nurses who are highly educated and qualified. In the year 2010, a report was released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) regarding the future of nursing and spearheading advancements in the health sector. This report was able to recognized and appreciate the fact that nurses were among the workers who were on the frontline when it comes to positively impacting the health of the American population. Part of the recommendations that were made by this report included the need for nurses to continue with their training and education for them to be better equipped with additional skills and knowledge to enhance their service to members of the public. Continuing education will result in highly educated and trained nurse with the ability to attend to the ever-changing and complex needs that are experienced in the healthcare sector. Highly educated and well-trained nurses are poised to address the medical concerns of the increased number of people with access to medical care following the introduction of the Affordable Care Act that facilitated the realization of preventive care. Many workers and professionals in the health sector who have plans to take advantage of the increasing demand for highly educated healthcare workers will have to continue the education (Vevoda, Vevodova & Proskova, 2018).
Following the developments that have been witnessed in different sectors and industries since the commencement of the twenty-first century, it would be critical for the existing as well as the up-coming nurses to make themselves conversant with a wide range of issues. This can be achieved in a better way by subjected nurses and other professional healthcare workers to continued education and regular training. Highly-educated and well-trained nurses will be expected to demonstrate competency when it comes to offering technology-based healthcare services to patients. Besides, such nurses and healthcare workers will be expected to show a good mastery of the technological skills, research, and leadership as well as healthcare policies. Moving into the future nurses will be expected to understand the importance and value of evidence-based research and practice that will allow them to become professionals who are capable of implementing policies and recommendations for the betterment of the health sector and the health of people in the society (Eslamian et al ., 2015). Upon understanding and acquiring the value presented by continuing with education nurses and other workers in the healthcare industry will be in a position to coordinate health affairs and collaborate with professionals from various other fields and across teams of multiple interdisciplinary.
Some nurses have been thinking that once they qualify from nursing school, they are unable to go back to school and study again. By believing in this way, such nurses devalue the essence of pursuing further studies that would earn them credits that are likely to enhance their chances of becoming valuable and useful tools in the nursing practice. A nurse owes it to himself or herself and the patients who are part of the member of the public to take part in continuing education as a way of improving the nature of service provision. By continuing with their education, nurses are equipped with a wide range of privileges that make it much easier to serve their patients with more success and confidence. Several states in the United States have regulations that require nurses handling transfers of patients from one facility to the other and specialized services to complete a given number of hours in continuing education annually. If such a nurse fails to achieve the required number of continuing education hours, then he or she risks losing his or her nursing practicing license. Transports nurses are also expected to possess advanced assessment and intervention skills to have the ability to initiate care independently as well as collaborate with other healthcare professionals from local medical centers. Getting a boost in salaries, remunerations and benefits is another reason that forms part of the importance of education and continuing education for nurses in the healthcare sector. This is because most employers, both governmental and non-governmental, consider education and academic qualifications as some of the important factors that influence the evaluations of the existing and new employees into the nursing profession (Droogh et al ., 2015). Such employees will often have a certain minimum academic qualification that allows a nurse to obtain a given standard score. However, those with academic qualifications that exceed the minimum standard score are often given priority when it comes to employment into prestigious positions as well as boosting their salary increment and grade of payment.
Most of the courses pursued through continuing education for nurses are typically associated with the provision of the relevant knowledge that equips the healthcare workers with some of the most appropriate and effective nursing care. This is because such courses are designed and formulated with the assistance and consideration of evidenced based nursing practice. Nurses pursuing theses course can get an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that have been taken through standardized testing and proven to be working by other nurses working in similar situations and environments. Furthermore, continuing education empowers nurses to be in a better position to provide the best healthcare nursing services to the patients through the application of credible information, approaches, and techniques that have already been tested and found to be working. Patients seeking the services of qualified and knowledgeable nurses find themselves dependent on the healthcare services and medical advices issued to them by professional nurses who have undergone thorough training courtesy of continuing education. Leadership capabilities in the healthcare sector and among the professional nurse could be effectively acquired through continuing education for nurses (Gasparyan, 2013). This is because the some of the courses and forms of training offered through this program are designed to equip the learners with essential leadership skills. Nurses who undergo this educational program often get the opportunity to acquire better strategies that assist them towards the management of their nursing colleagues and as well as their subordinates. Nurses who advance their understanding of healthcare issues through continuing education also acquire skills and strategies that are capable of assisting them to rise to the leadership hierarchy in a healthcare environment. Upon gaining the useful and reliable information from the continuing education programs, a professional nurse can play their leadership roles and responsibility by way of leading by example.
In this way, other members of the nursing profession can find inspiration that guides them towards working hard and showing more commitment in their pursuit to achieve excellence.
Having looked at the benefits associated with continuing education for nurses, it is worth indicating that some problems may be linked with attempts to pursue additional education or training. In this respect, most nurses find continuing education as a bother that interferes with their delivery of the day-to-day services in the healthcare profession. This is because the program is, in most cases, introduced to the nursing profession as a mandatory regulatory requirement rather than a voluntary learning opportunity for those interested in enrolling for it. The overall outcome is that most nurses find themselves bored, demotivated and with lack of the requisite enthusiasm that would propel them towards enhancing their nursing skills and staying at the top of their careers. Granted is that a robust job market in the healthcare industry has been characterized by increasing vacancies owing to lack of enough quality and appropriately skilled nursing professions (Oermann et al ., 2018). This situation has resulted in an increased urge and desire for nurses and other healthcare professionals to enroll for continuing education. In most working environments where nurses are employed to offer healthcare services, nurses are often not the ones controlling the management of operations neither are they actively involved in decision-making process. As such, their input and thoughts are not always incorporated in the process of coming up with programs for continuing education in the nursing profession.
Thus, such nurses are likely to find this program a huge responsibility that lies on their shoulders rather than considering it as an opportunity to acquire learning experience. The other challenge that is often associated with continuing education programs among the nursing professionals is the lack of courses that regarded as exciting by the learners with lack of a practical format to a technique of delivery from the teacher to the students. Some of the solutions that could be explored to explore these challenges include the creation and development of a broader understanding of the importance and usefulness associated with continuing education. This approach will play a crucial role in assisting the learners towards developing an interest in matters related to further studies and training in the area of professional nursing particularly for those dealing with complex services and specialties. Further, it would be important for nurses to look for places that have been successful towards the development of new and more exciting techniques of courses delivery to make the learning process appealing and enjoyable to the learner (Asiamah, 2017). Many of those nurses who chose to pursue continuing education courses have been able to develop new techniques of going about the entire process in a manner that makes it more inconvenient for them to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and information. Moreover, the newly developed strategies make it possible for the whole continuing education program to create a rejuvenated learning experience with numerous vital roles to play in the growth and development if the nursing career.
In summing up, it is important to note that the bottom-line is that continuing education remains a necessity in the nursing profession especially for those dealing with complex services and specialties. A positive mentality and attitude, as well as better understanding of the importance and usefulness of continuing education program, will inspire and motivate both the current and up-coming professional nurses to enroll in this program. For convenience, most nurses are highly likely to enhance their search for the most appropriate and practical training and education centers where they can enroll and pursue the continuing education programs. The primary objective of subjecting nurse to continuing education would be to assisting them in expanding their knowledge-base, improve their skills and update themselves with the new developments in within their profession and the entire healthcare sector. It is also clear that this program present nurses with the opportunity to select from various advanced specialties in the healthcare profession according to their interest. Continuing education has proved to be an appropriate means through which nurses can manage to credit themselves with new information and strategies that are most likely to be of great assistance to them in their daily nursing practice (Eslamian et al ., 2015). Other benefits associated with education and continuing education for nurses include empowering them to remain relevant and effective in an environment characterized by advanced technologies, new skills and latest developments necessary in their fields. Nurses are also able to get a boost in salaries, remunerations and benefits owing to this continuing education program. Generally, nurses who chose to enroll in this program will most likely find themselves enlightened, motivated and filled with enthusiasm that will assist them towards enhancing their nursing skills and developing their careers. Nurses who transfer of patients from one facility to the other for specialized treatment should have the leadership and collaborative and interpersonal skills needed to coordinate the multidisciplinary teams often required to care for these critical patients. Additional training and certifications are essential for inter-facility transports of critically sick patients.
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