Identifying the development needs of community matrons.
OBJECTIVE
To gain some insight into the needs of community matrons from both the practitioners' and managers' perspectives.


METHODS
Focus groups with community matrons in different PCTs.


RESULTS
The focus groups identified that skills in physical assessment and prescribing were taken as prerequisites or essential to the role, and that the educational priorities were viewed as clinical education relating to the management of many long-term conditions linked to major causes of unplanned admissions. The preferred format for education appears to be work-based learning delivered by clinicians.


CONCLUSIONS
PCTs need to ensure that community matrons have their learning needs assessed and to put in place systems of work-based learning that allow for appropriate development. Although community matrons themselves may not initially see the value of non-clinical education, this will be vital to the long-term success of their role.
Pooler
Alison
A
Staffordshire University, Stafford.
Campbell
Pam
P
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004630:Emergencies; D017144:Focus Groups; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000451:nursing; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013192:Staff Development / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D016526:Workload