Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is a method of maintaining and improving personal skills and knowledge to reflect individuals' present roles and future career advancement. CPD is required by national law for all registered nurses (\"Continuing Professional Development,\" 2017). Yet, meeting the minimal number of hours is difficult and might divert time from patient care. The purpose of this study is to examine the theoretical and clinical perspective of this personal statement and show how it relates to the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australian Registered Nurses (NMBA-RN) practice standards.
Structure of the Position Statement
First and foremost, the position statement is well-structured. The work consists of an introduction with a clear thesis, a body that supports the thesis, and a conclusion that clearly states the author's position. Further, the position statement relates to the topic in that it demonstrates that even though the 20 hours are hard to attain, they can still be achieved through dedication and proper management of time. The authors also ensure the credibility of the work by providing current and credible sources. In this regard, the references are not older than five years, and most of them were retrieved from government agencies, educational institutions, and other reliable organizations (\"Evaluating Credibility,\" 2017).
Connection to NMBA-RN Standards of Practice
The statement also demonstrates the connection between the topic and the NMBA-RN standards of practice adequately. For example, the author shows that if practitioners adhere to stipulated 20 hours, it will significantly support standard 3.7, which seeks to promote the role of nursing practice in improving health outcomes for the public (Registered nurse standards for practice, 2016). Therefore, it is important to comply with the NMBA standard because it promotes the provision of safe care in healthcare. Ideally, the CPD program provides nurses with recent changes in policies and procedures in addition to extending their scope of practice (Carlson & Bengtsson, 2015).
Assumptions about CPD
In the statement, the author has made two main assumptions. One is that the minimum number of hours required for CPD is difficult for many caregivers to achieve. The other is that CPD consumes crucial time needed for patient care. Under revalidation, all RNs must complete at least 20 hours of participatory learning activities, including seminars, learning workshops, and job shadowing, to name but a few. The first assumption is true because nurses are often overloaded with tasks and limited time (Berman et al., 2012). Therefore, demanding 20 hours from nurses can be stressful considering they have to maintain a safe practice.
Overall Assessment
Overall, the position statement presents an in-depth research project. For the most part, the paper is well-written, organized and has an important message for health care practitioners. The article when taken as a whole is relevant and convincing in theory, but it starts slow and does not lay out a solid way of addressing the research topic.
References
Berman, A., Snyder, S., Kozier, B., Erb, G., Levett-Jones, T., Dwyer, T., et al. (2012).Kozier and Erb’s fundamentals of nursing. (2nd Australian ed.) French’s Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia
Carlson, E., & Bengtsson, M. (2015). Perceptions of preceptorship in clinical practice after completion of a continuous professional development course- a qualitative study Part II. BMC Nursing, 14, 41. Retrieved fromhttp://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=ac8uni&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA423755598&asid=9bcd89746aaaf0d2c58b972779402d19
Continuing Professional Development. (2017). Ahpra.gov.au. Retrieved 11 September 2017, from https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Education/Continuing-Professional-Development.aspx
Registered nurse standards for practice. (2016) (1st ed.). Melbourne. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-GuidelinesStatements/Professional-standards.aspx
Subject Guides: Step-by-Step Guide & Research Rescue: Evaluating Credibility. (2017). Guides.lib.byu.edu. Retrieved 11 September 2017, from http://guides.lib.byu.edu/c.php?g=216340&p=1428399
