Exploring Barriers to Continuing Nursing Education Among Nurses: A Descriptive Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63623/00q2wd35Keywords:
Access to education, Continuing, Clinical competence, Education, Nurses, Personnel staffing and schedulingAbstract
Introduction: Rapid changes in health care have led to the need for nurses to continue their education. However, nurses experience barriers to continuing their education. Therefore, this study explored the barriers to continuing education among nurses in one hospital in the Lubombo region of Eswatini. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was employed. Ten purposively selected nurses participated in the study. Face-to-face, in-depth, semi- structured interviews were used to collect data. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis guided by Braun and Clarke’s method was applied. Results: The data analysis generated 1330 initial codes. Ten associated subthemes, and three themes emerged. Participants understood the value of continuing nursing education that it kept nurses abreast with advances in patient care. However, participants encountered barriers which included lack of time, staff shortages, poor remuneration, lack of distance learning options, and absence of training leave. Lack of job security was also a barrier reported by participants. The barriers indicated difficult working conditions in the hospitals. Participants suggested that employing more nurses, job security assurance, and financial support could motivate nurses to further their studies. Conclusions: The study holds contextual relevance and may serve as a foundation for further exploration in similar settings. The Ministry of Health needs to collaborate with hospitals and nursing education institutions to create an enabling environment for continuing nursing education. Further research needs to investigate factors that hinder employers from allowing nurses to further their education.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Welile M. Mamba, Mandisa S. Dludlu (Author)
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