Survey with content analysis to explore nurses' satisfaction with opportunities to undertake continuing professional education in relation to aseptic technique

Background: Aseptic technique is a key skill undertaken every day by large numbers of nurses. However, there is relatively little empirical evidence to underpin practice. Furthermore, it is not clear to what extent it should be considered a single task or a set of principles to be applied differentially depending upon the situation and how individual nurses make this decision.

Objective: This study explored nurses' experiences of continuing professional education (CPE) in relation to aseptic technique.

Design: A national survey was undertaken throughout the United Kingdom. Responses were subjected to inductive quantitative content analysis.

Participants: Participants were recruited via an electronic link placed on the website of a major nursing organisation.

Results: 941 nurses responded. 253 (26.9%) were satisfied with arrangements for continuing professional education. Satisfaction was associated with a perception of good support from employers, sound preparation before qualifying and practising aseptic technique regularly. 311 (33%) were dissatisfied. Reasons included witnessing unwarranted variations in practice (n = 55, 5.8%), witnessing suboptimal practice requiring correction (65, 6.9%), a perception that standards had fallen through a decline in pre-registration preparation (n = 109, 11.6%) and opportunities for updating (n = 124, 13.2%). Some employers had introduced training in conjunction with organisation-wide change in practice. In other cases participants reported receiving updates when required to perform a new procedure, when moving between clinical specialities or changing employer. Train-the-trainer (cascade) teaching was used in formal and informal arrangements for updating.

Conclusion: This study provides a springboard for exploring arrangements for updating and assessing nurses' competence to undertake aseptic technique. Health providers need to evaluate what is currently provided and address gaps in provision. There is clear evidence that the current system does not meet the needs of many nurses.