Current Continuing Nursing Education Among Beijing Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Continuing nursing education (CNE) is an effective approach to maintain and elevate professional knowledge and skills for nurses. We sought to understand the attitudes and expectations of hospital nurses concerning current CNE in Beijing. Method: Hospital-employed nurses (N = 2,826) from 23 secondary and tertiary general hospitals in Beijing were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 72% to 88% of nurses recognized the practicality, helpfulness, importance, and support provided by the current CNE program in Beijing. Obtaining required CNE credits and improving overall comprehensive quality are the top two motivations for nurses to participate in CNE. The top two barriers to CNE are time constraints and the inability to receive timely training information. Expectations that nurses have for future CNE programs also are identified. Conclusion: The nurses surveyed have a positive attitude about the current CNE program; however, our survey revealed several barriers and needs concerning CNE that should be addressed from an organizational perspective.