Mandatory Training for Nurses: An Insider’s Assessment

(Nicole writes a periodic blog post for us about her experiences as an early-to-mid-career nurse.)

Ask any nurses about continuing nursing education, and they will easily and readily tell you its value.

Medicine and healthcare is continuously evolving. Nurses must maintain their skills and knowledge in order to keep up with the ever-changing world of healthcare. New medications, updates to commonly used or new equipment, and laws or regulations related to health care—all require in depth review. In addition, nurses must remain compliant with institute policies and procedures in order to ensure patient safety is maintained.

Mandatory Training a Professional Responsibility

Mandatory training is a requirement as well as the responsibility of all nurses to guarantee safe, effective, and quality nursing care.

When nurses learn that a mandatory training session has come up, mixed emotions usually occur. Excitement over learning something new or reviewing a common skill ignites a nurse’s drive for knowledge. However, mandatory training can quickly be viewed as a tedious and time-consuming task.

Often times, mandatory training is scheduled to try and meet the needs of the nursing staff; however, accommodations may still prove difficult. If mandatory training is set to occur first thing in the morning, in order to accommodate for night shift, it can become difficult to maintain staff attention. Once their shift has ended, many night shift nurses must rush home in order to tend to their family’s needs prior to getting some rest.

Accommodation Challenges Are Common

Often times, mandatory training is scheduled during regular shift hours. This too can prove difficult, as nurses often find it hard to take their attention off their patients, even if they have adequate coverage. While they are attending training, a nurse’s mind is usually occupied with thoughts of patient needs and work that needs to be completed.

In addition, nurses endure demanding and often emotionally draining shifts and they look forward to their time off in order to rest and recharge. Many grumble at the thought of using their free time to complete mandatory training.

Nurses look forward to the opportunity to learn something new or to refresh on their skills, but there can be multiple obstacles that impede learning. For these reasons, mandatory training must be engaging, efficient, accessible, and meaningful to nurses.

About the Author

Nicole Kraut is a nurse working in Chicago, Illinois, who writes for us regularly about her experiences as an early-to-mid career nurse. She has been a RN for over five years.

Nicole graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University Chicago and recently obtained a Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education from Grand Canyon University. She “was inspired to become a nurse because I wanted to work in a career field in which I could make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. I feel nursing is my vocation and am passionate about sharing my knowledge and experience in order to positively influence others.”