title: Decentralized nursing education in northern Norway: a basis for continuing education to meet competence needs in rural Arctic healthcare services.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ensuring a sufficient nursing workforce, with respect to both number and relevant professional competencies, is crucial in rural Arctic regions in Norway. This study examines the continuing education (CE) of nurses who graduated from a decentralized nursing programme between 1994 and 2011.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to measure the extent to which the decentralized nursing education (DNE) in question has served as a basis for CE that is adapted to current and future community health care service needs in rural Arctic regions in northern Norway. More specifically, the study aims to investigate the frequency and scope of CE courses among the graduates of a DNE, the choice of study model and the degree of employment with respect to the relevant CE.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a quantitative survey providing descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary finding in this study is that 56% of the participants had engaged in CE and that they were employed in positions related to their education. The majority of students with decentralized bachelor's degrees engaged in CE that was part time and/or decentralized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than half of the population in this study had completed CE despite no mandatory obligation in order to maintain licensure. Furthermore, 31% of the participants had completed more than one CE programme. The findings show that the participants preferred CE organized as part time and or decentralized studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Mari Wolff
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Skaalvik
authors.affiliation: National Centre of Rural Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Margrete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaski
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Norbye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001110:Arctic Regions; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009664:Norway; D064691:Nurses, Community Health / Q000193:education* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011361:Professional Competence; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: RNs; blended learning; continuing education; municipal health care service; off-campus; professional competence; recruitment; retention; rural Arctic region