editorial

Let The Nurses Go To Meetings

Many nurses today are faced with a dilemma: the increasing availability of educational programs- conferences, meetings, seminars, and workshops, but their inability to satisfactorily arrange for time off to participate in these educational activities.

Not too long ago, few nurses attended meetings, and those who did were primarily from the administrative ranks. Often the nurse most involved in direct patient care was left home to mind the shop while administrators, supervisors, and others less involved in direct patient care went out to attend meetings or programs. During this period, meetings or conference programs were often prepared to appeal to nurse administrators or educators.

However, we ,have recently witnessed increases in the number and variety of educational programs and topics presented. Now there are program topics for all nurses, practitioners as well as administrators and educators.

Somewhere between the time when only a few nurses attended meetings and now when there are many educational meetings available for major areas of nursing practice, we fell behind. Today many nurses are still expected to mind the store and miss attending valuable educational programs.

In some situations nurses are permitted to attend meetings on their days off or by taking vacation time to attend. This does not help to create a healthy attitude regarding meeting attendance and it certainly does not foster a commitment to continuing professional education and self-improvement. Some institutions count on their own

in-service programs to provide adequate continuing education for their staff, and make no provision for attendance a t other meetings. In other instances, some nurses are sent to meetings, and in still other situations the nurse can select the program of her choice. Some institutions have a rotation mechanism set up so that nurses from all levels and all shifts can take turns attending educational meetings. A wide range of procedures for nurses to attend meetings exists in hospitals and other settings.

W e must examine our attitudes about the nurse attending meetings. Participating in continuing education activities is as important for nurses as it is for other professionals. It provides the nurse with an opportunity to keep up with trends, to learn of new procedures and new techniques, and to be exposed to new ideas and contribute her own ideas to improve patient care. The emphasis a t meetings on better ways of providing comprehensive health care will benefit the nurse, the employer, and importantly, the patient.

W e must incorporate into our thinking the fact that it is important for nurses to attend educational meetings, and planning for staff time to attend meetings must become part of-our thinking. Employers and staff should put meeting attendance high on the priority list and work together to plan for sufficient budget and time to permit nurses to participate in continuing education . . . attend meetings. Nurses. . . go! And others . . . let the nurses go! Better still . . . send them!

q”+hbo”ntj EDITOR

July/August 1974 JOGN Nursing I 1