Resumen de Investigación de actitudes, puntos de vista y grado de satisfacción de las enfermeras griegas desde su participación en el aprendizaje permanente de programas
Paraskevi Dalagkozi
Nursing is essential to the humanities, focusing on individual health needs. Its primary objective is to promote, maintain, and restore good health by utilizing careful assessment and intervention while emphasising prevention and patient care (Kelesi et al., 2016). Nurses must possess advanced theoretical knowledge and skills and continuously strive towards enhancing their competence and effectiveness (Zervea et al., 2020).
Given the intense nature of their work in hospital settings, nurses are often susceptible to stress and burnout, which underlines the importance of consistent professional development (Theofanidis & Fountouki, 2015). LifelongScience learning is critical to this development, enabling healthcare professionals to continuously enhance their knowledge, skills, and experience and provide better care for their patients (Gerogianni & Plexida, 2008).
Previous research has emphasised the crucial role of continuing education program content linked to nurses' satisfaction rates, attitudes, and intentions to acquire new knowledge (Davis et al., 2014). However, scholars have also noted challenges in applying this new knowledge in practice, as demonstrated in a study by Galehdar et al. (2020). Also, a qualitative research study conducted in Greece by Tirinopoulos (2020) revealed a disconnection between theory and practice and difficulty in applying newly acquired knowledge among ten nurses working in a large public hospital in Greece (KAT). Similarly, Keklikoglou (2019) analysed the literature findings and the views of 84 nurses working in a large public hospital in Greece ('Hippocrates') and reached the same conclusions.
The present study explores the issue of nurses' lifelong learning by investigating their views and satisfaction levels regarding their participation in lifelong learning programs. This study seeks to examine the effectiveness of these programs and identify the factors that impact the success of such initiatives. The results of this study can help nursing institutions and policymakers to design and implement effective lifelong learning programs that cater to the needs of nurses and enable them to keep up with the latest developments in the field.
The findings of this report are expected to help the designers of lifelong learning programs to create and implement targeted training programs that will respond not only to nurses' desires to acquire new knowledge but also to their training needs so that hospitals can be staffed with specialised staff.
The primary objective of this study was to thoroughly investigate the level of satisfaction among nurses who participated in lifelong learning programs. The study aimed to precisel yaluate the effects of various factors such as age, gender, work experience, marital status, and educational background on the satisfaction levels of nurses. Additionally, the study's secondary objective was to identify the various parameters that shape nurses' satisfaction with their participation in lifelong learning programs.
To achieve these objectives, the study adopted a comprehensive and rigorous approach, utilising various research methods such as surveys, interviews, and data analysis. The study collected data from nurses participating in lifelong learning programs.
The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the issue. The qualitative approach collected data from semi-structured interviews with 13 nurses working in various hospitals of the Greek state operating in urban and semi-urban areas. The quantitative approach involved 203 nurses working in public hospitals in urban and semi-urban areas of Greece, who were asked to fill in an online questionnaire developed by the researcher based on the survey's objectives, questions, and assumptions.
The survey was conducted between December 2021 and June 2022 in hospitals in large and small urban centres in Greece. The large urban centres included Athens and Thessaloniki, with a population of over one million. In contrast, the small urban centres had Serres, Drama, Kalamata, Veria, Katerini, and others, with a population of up to 100,000 inhabitants. The study sample comprised nurses from all departments and levels of education, selected through simple random sampling, a standard method for choosing a representative sample. This method's main characteristic is that each population unit has an equal probability of being part of the sample (Kyriazi, 2005). The interviews were conducted by the researcher and her colleagues, who are part of the National Health System nursing staff, with the participants' agreement.
The survey results indicate that lifelong learning programs positively impact nurses' effectiveness and quality of work. According to most surveyed nurses, obtaining new knowledge through lifelong learning programs is essential for enhancing the quality of services they offer. They believe that continuous training enables them to keep themselves updated with the latest advancements in their field and provide superior patient care.
Despite acknowledging the importance of lifelong learning programs, the participants also highlighted the need for improvements in their design and organisation. They suggested that the nursing specialisation should be introduced, and the literature, content, and curriculum should be upgraded to match the latest developments in nursing science. Additionally, they emphasised the need to reduce the financial costs associated with lifelong learning programs and integrate practical training to match theory with practice. Overall, the survey results suggest that lifelong learning programs are crucial for nurses to provide high-quality services, and their design and organisation improvements can further enhance their effectiveness. However, the study highlighted a significant finding regarding nurses working in urban and suburban hospitals and their participation in lifelong learning programs. The qualitative approach revealed that the long distances needed to attend the courses hinder the desire to attend educational programs. The respondents reported difficulty accessing the latest research and training materials, which hinders their professional growth and development. Moreover, the study found that the cost of attending training programs is often prohibitive for nurses working in semi-urban areas.
To address these challenges, the designers of lifelong learning programs should focus on integrating Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to offer distance learning opportunities to nurses living and working in semi-urban areas. This approach will enable nurses to access the latest training materials and resources without the need to travel long distances, thereby reducing the cost and time required to attend the courses. Additionally, integrating ICT will promote equitable access to lifelong learning opportunities for nurses, regardless of location or economic status, thereby promoting professional growth and development in the nursing profession.
