Sarah Rominski1, Sue Anne Bell2, Dorothy Yeboah3, Kristen Sarna4, Heather Hartney4, Rockefeller Oteng3,4. 1. Global REACH, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI. 2. University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI. 3. Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana. 4. University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The specialty of emergency medicine is highly reliant on a well-trained team of providers. Ghana has recently begun a specialist training program for physicians and the need to train specialist emergency nurses has been recognized. The first step to developing this training is to conduct a needs assessment. This study was conducted to elucidate current nursing functioning and gain knowledge of the educational desires and needs for nurses in the Accident and Emergency Center (A&E) at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). METHODS: Three nurses from the University of Michigan (UM) worked collaboratively with the nursing leadership at KATH to conduct a needs assessment of currently practising nurses in the A&E. The UM nurses observed nursing practice in the department and KATH nurses participated in a multiple choice exam, a self-assessment questionnaire of educational desires, answered written open-ended questions and participated in focus groups. RESULTS: KATH nurses scored relatively low on a general knowledge multiple choice exam, and indicated through the self-assessment that they would like to learn more about many topics. Open-ended questions gave further insight into areas of knowledge gaps. Several themes including Cohesion, Carrying out Orders/Decision Making and Overwhelming Volume, emerged from observations in the emergency department. DISCUSSION: Current nurse knowledge and function as well as areas to focus on for future specialty training in emergency nursing have been identified by this needs assessment. The emergency department nurses shared an overwhelming interest in increasing their skill level, learning new methods of patient care and implementing new technologies into their clinical practice.
BACKGROUND: The specialty of emergency medicine is highly reliant on a well-trained team of providers. Ghana has recently begun a specialist training program for physicians and the need to train specialist emergency nurses has been recognized. The first step to developing this training is to conduct a needs assessment. This study was conducted to elucidate current nursing functioning and gain knowledge of the educational desires and needs for nurses in the Accident and Emergency Center (A&E) at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). METHODS: Three nurses from the University of Michigan (UM) worked collaboratively with the nursing leadership at KATH to conduct a needs assessment of currently practising nurses in the A&E. The UM nurses observed nursing practice in the department and KATH nurses participated in a multiple choice exam, a self-assessment questionnaire of educational desires, answered written open-ended questions and participated in focus groups. RESULTS: KATH nurses scored relatively low on a general knowledge multiple choice exam, and indicated through the self-assessment that they would like to learn more about many topics. Open-ended questions gave further insight into areas of knowledge gaps. Several themes including Cohesion, Carrying out Orders/Decision Making and Overwhelming Volume, emerged from observations in the emergency department. DISCUSSION: Current nurse knowledge and function as well as areas to focus on for future specialty training in emergency nursing have been identified by this needs assessment. The emergency department nurses shared an overwhelming interest in increasing their skill level, learning new methods of patient care and implementing new technologies into their clinical practice.
Authors: John C Morey; Robert Simon; Gregory D Jay; Robert L Wears; Mary Salisbury; Kimberly A Dukes; Scott D Berns Journal: Health Serv Res Date: 2002-12 Impact factor: 3.402
Authors: Victoria Bam; Abigail Kusi-Amponsah Diji; Ernest Asante; Alberta Yemotsoo Lomotey; Pearl Adade; Berlinda Asante Akyeampong Journal: Afr J Emerg Med Date: 2019-11-22