FACTORS INFLUENCING EDUCATIONAL UPGRADING OF NURSES AT A REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL IN KENYA

Abstract

Introduction: Educational upgrading enables nurses to add to their knowledge and skills, rise in value and esteem and be rated higher within the nursing cadres.  They need to continually learn and apply new skills and knowledge. Without such learning opportunities, health care workers, particularly those in rural or remote areas, will experience a decline in skills and knowledge, professional dissatisfaction, low morale, disillusion, lack of commitment, and reduced interest in their work. This study sought to identify the factors that influencing nurses to upgrade their educational levels. 

 Methods: The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Data was collected among 160 nurses using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The data collected was checked for accuracy, coded and analyzed using STATA Version 10.

 Findings: Seventy-four (47.7%) had upgraded while 32 (20%) were currently upgrading. The main economic factors that made nurses at ML5H to seek upgrading were better remuneration by 83%. The Socio- cultural factor was a desire for empowerment by 54.3% of the respondents. Career progression and to acquire more knowledge and skills were cited as the professional factors with 71% and 90%, respectively while the personal factors included a desire to actualize with 59.8% and to boost their confidence and self-esteem at 66.7%.

 Conclusion: Better remuneration, promotion, availability of flexible modes, the institution being near nurse’s residence, desire for empowerment, career progression, to acquire more knowledge and skills, desire to actualize and to boost one’s self-confidence and self-esteem were the main factors brought out in the research that influenced nurses to upgrade.

 Recommendations: The study recommends a more in-depth study to determine which factors were significant in influencing nurses to upgrade. Flexible scheduling of duties to those nurses who are upgrading and encouraging nurses to take up upgrading through distance learning will also go a long way in seeing more nurses’ upgrade.