Development of nurses with specialties: the nurse administrators' perspective.
OBJECTIVE
This study clarified how Japanese nurse administrators consider the current status and future prospects of development and utilization of nurses with specialties.


BACKGROUND
The demand for specialized nurses is not satisfied throughout the country.


METHODS
Nine nurse administrators participated in three focus-group discussions. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis technique.


RESULTS
On development of specialized nurses, four categories were abstracted: offering opportunities for career development; establishing an environment of life-term continuous learning; providing well-balanced support for the needs of organizations and individual nurses; and support for career development as a specialist.


CONCLUSIONS
To develop specialized nurses effectively it is important to focus more attention on qualitative aspects of nurses' professional experience in in-service education and to support appropriate personnel for strategic human resource development.


CONCLUSIONS
Facilitating frequent contacts between specialized and general nurses should be highly valued as making an environment where nurses can face career goals daily leads to steady preservation of human resources. It is necessary for nurse administrators to keep human resources quantitatively and to clarify the developmental process after nurses obtain special roles to plan for continuous education.
Onishi
Mami
M
Department of Nursing Administration, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. m-ohnishi@umin.ac.jp
Sasaki
Minako
M
Nagata
Ayako
A
Kanda
Katsuya
K
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002322:Career Mobility; D002568:Certification; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D017144:Focus Groups; D005544:Forecasting; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000523:psychology*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010559:Personnel Management; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D013192:Staff Development / Q000458:organization & administration