Assessing the continuing education needs and preferences of rural nurses.

Background: Difficulty recruiting and retaining well-qualified nursing staff can frustrate rural hospitals. Collaborative relationships between university nursing programs and rural hospitals may lead to the development of continuing education (CE) programs to enhance clinical competence, patient safety, job satisfaction, and nursing work force retention.

Methods: As part of an effort to develop a collaborative relationship between a university nursing program and two rural hospitals, a pilot study was conducted with 27 nurses working at two hospitals to determine needs and preferences for CE topics and delivery.

Teaching thoughtful practice: narrative pedagogy in addictions education.

Preparing practitioners for this rapidly changing and demanding health care environment is challenging. A surge in knowledge development and scientific advancement has placed a priority on technical skill and a focus on content driven educational processes that prepare students for evidence-based practice. However, the most difficult health care scenarios require thinking-in-action and thoughtfulness as well as didactic knowledge.