title: Nurses' understandings of the Professional Development Recognition Programme.
abstract: Professional Development and Recognition Programmes (PDRP) for nurses have developed out of the Clinical Career Pathways (CCP) of the 1990s. The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (2003) has now required all health professionals to provide evidence that their practice meets criteria set by the individual regulatory body, which, for nursing, is the Nursing Council of New Zealand. In 2002 a tool was developed to measure knowledge and attitudes of the then CCP which was tested with 239 nurses. This paper is a report on the second application of the tool in the same hospital in New Zealand. Results show that knowledge and attitudes of the PDRP are similar to those found in the previous study. It also suggests that greater understanding of the PDRP and the implementation process increases the likelihood of a positive response to the programme.
authors.affiliation: MidCentral District Health Board & Massey University, Palmerston North.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carryer
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Budge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D002322:Career Mobility; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D032882:Comprehension; D004282:Documentation; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D013192:Staff Development / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires