Abstract:
Background:
The challenge posed by the worldwide nursing
shortage is significant not only for workforce and
facility planners, but also for those who educate nurses
for practice and nurses themselves. The provision
of skilled and competent advanced nurses
is clearly a goal of postgraduate education.
An increasing shortage of skilled and qualified
nursing staff to provide the required level of care is
evident in Australia.
Objective:
To determine the impact of graduate education
on registered nurses' personal and professional
development.
Design:
A longitudinal descriptive and co-relational study of
postgraduate nursing students using postal survey.
Sample:
Five cohorts (1998-2002) of nurses who had
graduated from university with a graduate diploma or
master of nursing qualification were all surveyed over
six years post graduation (n=151).
Results:
The study showed the greatest motivator to change
jobs was greater job satisfaction; self esteem and
their ability to carry out their role exceeded their
job satisfaction; one quarter wanted to change
their career and the strongest facilitator and the
strongest barrier to career advancement were their
personal situation.
Conclusion:
This paper focuses on recent career moves,
motivation, intentions and influencing factors six
years after completion of their tertiary studies.
This information is critical in choosing retention
strategies and workforce planning.
