Informed opinion: an exercise in gathering the opinions of experts to facilitate the planning of continuing professional education.
In 1989 The English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting reviewed the organisation and provision of continuing professional education in order to identify a new structure which would meet most effectively the changing health care needs of clients and patients. Researchers were engaged in conducting a series of projects looking at key areas of concern in continuing professional education. During the research concern was expressed about levels of practice and preparation for practice. Respondents suggested that practitioners make highly complex decisions for which there is no apparent continuing education preparation. The research director decided that this issue should be explored further by selected individuals from the research team. This paper describes one of the approaches used to explore this area. Using the work of Benner (1984) as a framework for debate during three 1-day workshops, a panel of experts in nursing education and practice explored skill acquisition and attainment of expert clinical practice and considered these in relation to potential continuing educational development strategies for nursing, midwifery and health visiting. The conclusions drawn from this exercise were then 'fed' back to the research team. This paper examines the process of utilising experts in facilitating planning.
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Morle
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Maggs
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D016294:Models, Nursing; D010934:Planning Techniques; D006113:United Kingdom