The exploration of in-service training needs of psychiatric nurses

Background: New research findings, changes in legislation and the use of information technology in nursing, require continuous in-service training of psychiatric nurses to cope with, reflect on and modify their clinical practice based on emerging knowledge. Many international studies have been conducted on the importance of in-service training and authors agree that in-service training improves the quality of nursing care. However, few studies have been conducted on in-service training in South Africa and psychiatric nursing.Objectives: The objectives of the study were to explore and describe the needs and benefits of in-service training for psychiatric nurses; and to formulate recommendations for in-service training.Method: The research project followed a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach. Six focus group interviews were conducted and the following questions were asked: ‘What are your in-service training needs as psychiatric nurses?’, ‘What are the benefits of doing in service training?’ and ‘What can be done to ensure that in-service training is done continuously?’ Data were analysed through the use of content analysis and Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis were used.Results: The findings of this research included three main themes, namely, that on-going in-service training is necessary, in-service training is beneficial to psychiatric nurses and that challenges exist with regard to in-service training.Conclusion: The findings confirmed the need for ongoing in-service training which has many advantages for psychiatric nurses. Aspects that hinder in-service training need to be addressed by planning ahead and by implementing the recommendations as identified by the psychiatric nurses and their managers.Agtergrond: Nuwe navorsingsbevindinge, veranderinge in wetgewing en die gebruik van inligtingstegnologie in verpleegkunde, vereis deurlopende indiensopleiding van psigiatriese verpleegkundiges om hulle kliniese praktyk soos gebaseer op opkomende kennis, te hanteer, daarop te reflekteer en dit aan te pas. Internasionaal is daar baie studies gedoen oor die belang van indiensopleiding en outeurs stem saam dat indiensopleiding die kwaliteit van verpleegsorg verbeter. Daar is egter nog net ’n paar studies oor indiensopleiding in Suid-Afrika en psigiatriese verpleegkunde gedoen.Doelwitte: Die doelwitte van die studie was om die behoeftes en voordele van indiensopleiding vir psigiatriese verpleegkundiges te verken en te beskryf en om aanbevelings te formuleer vir indiensopleiding.Metode: Die navorsingsprojek het ’n kwalitatiewe, verkennende, beskrywende en kontekstuele benadering gevolg. Ses fokusgroeponderhoude was gedoen en die volgende vrae was gevra: ‘Wat is jou indiensopleiding behoeftes as ’n psigiatriese verpleegkundige?’, ‘Wat is die voordele daarvan om indiensopleiding te doen?’ en ‘Wat kan gedoen word om te verseker dat indiensopleiding deurlopend gedoen word?’. Data was ontleed deur die gebruik van Tesch se agt stappe van data analise.Resultate: Die bevindinge van die navorsing sluit drie hooftemas in, naamlik, dat deurlopende indiensopleiding is nodig, indiensopleiding is voordelig vir psigiatriese verpleegkundiges en daar is verskeie uitdagings in indiensopleiding.Gevolgtrekking: Die bevindinge bevestig die behoefte aan indiensopleiding wat baie voordele het vir psigiatriese verpleegkundiges. Aspekte wat indiensopleiding verhinder moet aangespreek word deur vooruit te beplan en deur aanbevelings, soos geïdentifiseer deur psigiatriese verpleegkundiges en hulle bestuurders, te implementeer.