Continuing nursing education is a process for nurses who have already obtained a degree in nursing to keep up-to-date on their skills and knowledge. Nurses can also do it in the beginning stages of their careers. Continuing nursing education is beneficial not only to the nurse but also those they care for. Nurses who participate in furthering and building their skills can provide quality care, while those who need to gain knowledge or skills may place other nurses at risk of potential harm.
Benefits Of Continuing Nursing Education
1. On-the-Job Experience
Continuing nursing education allows nurses to gain hands-on experience from professionals, which could not be done on the job. Students may learn more from these experts than a teacher in a class they are taking because of the personal perspective they bring to the topic.
2. Personal Meeting Goals
Some nurses choose to further their education to meet a goal of theirs. These goals can be obtained through personal interest or self-development, which allows them to grow as an individual and help them reach their full potential in nursing. It may also be personal, and they may have children they want to send to college. All of these goals support the ability of a person to have a better chance at succeeding in life.
3. Meet Professional Competencies
Continuing nursing education is mandatory to become a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN). Without meeting the requirements set forth by the state, nurses will not be able to receive their certification and therefore lose the license which allows them to serve as a nurse. Therefore, continuing education is a way for nurses to increase their knowledge about the field and help them gain certification for their career choice.
4. Help Meet Career Goals
Although career goals may differ from person to person, many nurses choose to earn a doctorate or pursue other advanced degrees to advance in their careers. Continuing nursing education is one way to help fulfill their goal of having greater ease in the workplace by increasing their knowledge and ability to provide quality care. Attending Medical Conferences from a site like Coat Connect can help a nurse gain this type of knowledge, by attending a medical conference, they can learn more about the field and have insights into new treatments and therapies.
To maintain their license, nurses must get continuing education certificates required in each state. There are three types of certificates: mandatory, voluntary, and combination.
5. Improve Patient Care
It is one way to help meet a patient’s medical needs since nurses who continue their education are more likely to know how new treatments and technologies can be used most effectively. It will allow them to provide better care for their patients, ensuring that they can treat them most efficiently.
6. Improve The Field Of Nursing
It is one way to help promote the nursing field and show that nurses continue learning more about their patients and care. It will allow nurses to be seen as highly qualified professionals and gain respect from those who may have had few experiences in this field.
7. Improve Job Opportunities
It allows nurses to improve their skills, which will help them move into a different position within their workplace or even open up other possible job opportunities for them. It will help them continue working in a workplace that they enjoy and provide more chances for advancement throughout their career.
8. Advance The Field Of Nursing
It will help them advance the field of nursing by keeping up with the newest advancements in technology, treatments, and care for patients. It will allow these nurses to stay competitive in the job market and start transitioning into management positions within a facility or hospital and move into other industries as this field continues to grow in popularity.
9. Improve Their Skills
It allows nurses to stay current with new technological advances and available treatments. They can learn new information that they can use through regular classes, virtual learning opportunities, hands-on experiences, or assessments where they are tested on knowledge they have learned throughout the years. It will help them stay competitive in the job market, allowing them to move into positions of leadership and advancement as they gain more Experience. The other positive result is that they will stay updated with what is happening in the field, so they will better know who best fits their patient’s needs and what treatments are available and used today.
Nurses are in a position of power and sometimes have a lot of responsibility. Due to the nature of the job, there is a constant learning curve as new information becomes available. Nurses must take advantage of opportunities to further their education to ensure they can provide the best care possible for their patients.