Continuing Education Preferences Amongst CRNAs

Author

Jamie NichtingFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-7-2021

Document Type

DNP Project

Project Team Faculty Member

Cynthia Schmidt, Ph. D., RN

Project Team Faculty Member

Mary Zerlan, DNP, CRNA, APN

Keywords

certified registered nurse anesthetists, anesthesia, continuing education credit, continuing education, continued professional development, and professional conferences

Abstract

The Illinois Association of Nurse Anesthetists (IANA) is a professional organization representing Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). To ensure compliance with high standards of care in the profession, CRNAs are required to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) for each 4-year certification period. The IANA offers conferences in both fall and spring, however, a loss in attendance and revenue at state meetings concerns the board members as to how state members are complying with the educational requirements to remain certified. It was imperative that the IANA needed to implement new educational opportunities that actively engaged CRNAs resulting in an increase in clinical competence, member attendance, and revenue. This project involved the development and use of a 15-question survey to identify format preferences for CE opportunities and barriers to earning CEUs. A total of 143 CRNAs completed the survey, reflecting a 7.6% participation rate statewide. The top three preferences for CEUs were: online modules and case studies (63.38%, n =90), in-person conferences within the state of Illinois (54.93%, n = 78), and online conferences (47.89%, n=68). The top three barriers encountered to earning CEUs were: being able to take time away from work (40.14%, n=57), family restraints (19.72%, n=28), and uninteresting topics offered (17.61%, n=25). The results of the assessment will guide an educational plan to meet the needs of state members, by providing the preferred CE opportunities. Providing the educational needs for state members in the long-term will increase revenue to promote the advocacy work of IANA.

Recommended Citation

Nichting, Jamie, "Continuing Education Preferences Amongst CRNAs" (2021). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 168.
https://spark.siue.edu/dnpprojects/168

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