Effectiveness of continuing education in long-term care: a literature review.
OBJECTIVE
This review of the literature examines the effectiveness of continuing education programs in long-term care facilities.


METHODS
A comprehensive literature search was made for evaluation studies and included computerized bibliographic databases, manual searches of journals, the bibliographies of retrieved articles, and information from key informants.


RESULTS
Forty-eight studies met our selection criteria. Rigorous research in this area has been limited. Because of the lack of follow-up evaluation, there is minimal evidence that knowledge gained from training programs is sustained in the long term. Most studies do not consider organizational and system factors when planning and implementing training initiatives. This may account for difficulties encountered in the sustained transfer of knowledge to practice.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need for further rigorous research on the effectiveness of continuing education in long-term care, with systematic attention to the role of organizational and system factors.
Aylward
Sandra
S
Consortium for Practical Research in Care of the Elderly, Mount Hope Center for Long-Term Care, St. Joseph's Health Care London, Ontario, Canada.
Stolee
Paul
P
Keat
Nancy
N
Johncox
Van
V
D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation