School Nurse Perceptions of Continuing Education: Identifying the Process of Engagement

Abstract

Background: School nurses serve a critical role in academic settings, but evidence indicates that nurses may need help transitioning their generalist nursing training to the school environment (Camp). Continuing education (CE) can be an effective way for school nurses to develop the specialty skills needed for this practice environment (Gormley; Quinn & Smolinski), but a better understanding of how nurses engage in CE is needed to guide course development. The goal of this study is to describe how South Carolina school nurses engage with CE to guide future CE development efforts. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was used to describe engagement in CE for 24 participating South Carolina school nurses. Results: School nurses experienced CE as a process that included deciding to attend, experiencing the course, and implementing practice change. Subthemes relevant to these steps also emerged. Conclusion: For school nurses, CE is a process and is not perceived as a one-time event. Design recommendations and strategies are presented. [ J Contin Educ Nurs. 2022;53(1):35–41.]