title: Nurses' orientation toward lifelong learning: a case study of Uganda's national hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The quality of nursing care in developing countries is poor, and attempts to improve it through continuing education programs are under way. Nurses' orientation toward lifelong learning has not been explored, despite its potential effect on the success of such programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Jefferson Scale of Physician Lifelong Learning (JSPLL) was used to measure orientation toward lifelong learning among 200 nurses at Uganda's national hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants had fair orientation (52%) toward lifelong learning (JSPLL mean score = 36.8 [SD = 7.2]) and rated their skills in self-directed learning as good or excellent (44%). Reported barriers to lifelong learning included patient workload, lack of mentors, lack of library resources, and lack of computer skills. Nurses' orientation toward lifelong learning was significantly associated with professional experience (p ≤ .05), age (p ≤ .05), and education level (p ≤ .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Uganda, nurses' orientation toward lifelong learning remains low, and this has implications for successful implementation of continuing education programs for nurses.
authors: College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, P. O. Box 66, Al Khod, Muscat, Oman. jkmuliira@gmail.com
authors: Joshua Kanaabi
authors: JK
authors: Muliira
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Etyang
authors: Rhoda Suubi
authors: RS
authors: Muliira
authors: Irene Betty
authors: IB
authors: Kizza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D014454:Uganda