Employer Support for the Educational Development of Nurses in Long-Term Care Facilities

Abstract

There is a growing need for new skills and knowledge among nurses in long-term care facilities. The nature and extent of employer support for the educational development of nurses in these facilities appears to be a critical factor that influences nurses' continuing education activities. The purpose of this project was to obtain information regarding the policies of support for the educational development of nursing staff in long-term care facilities and compare it with such support for nurses in acute care hospitals. Investigator-constructed surveys were sent to 196 randomly selected acute care hospitals and long-term care facilities representative of Minnesota in terms of geographic location, size, and governance. Education and support scores were computed and correlated with various organizational and contextual factors. Significant differences were found in the educational support provided for nurses at the two types of facilities.