Nurses’ and Managers’ Perceptions of and Experiences with Continuing Nursing Education Programmes

Background: Continuing nursing education programs are defined as educational activities, which aim to keep health practitioners abreast with the latest developments in their specialties and related fields. The aim of the study: This study sought to understand the value / benefit of continuing nursing education programs, from the different perspectives, of staff nurses and nurse managers who are working in public rural hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Study design: A qualitative, descriptive methodology was chosen to achieve an in-depth understanding of the study question. Semi- structured, individual interviews were used to collect the data. Audio recorded interviews were conducted with registered nurses ( n = 6) and nurse managers ( n =5) working in public hospitals. Activity theory was chosen as the theoretical conceptual framework for the study. Implications: Higher education providers need to consider creating a website to promote professional development that nurses could access at any time to meet their needs. Conclusion: The support of a healthcare organisation inclusive of administration is applicable to promoting personal professional development. Nurses and nurse managers are aware that continuing nursing education programs are designed to upgrade their knowledge and skills. It was also determined that identifying learning needs is important to monitor useful continuing nursing education programs. Keywords: Continuing nursing education, professional development, nurses’ perceptions, managers’ perceptions and hospital