Rural-Focused Nursing Education: A Summative Evaluation of RNs’ Experiences of the Rural Nursing Certificate Program

Abstract

Nurses working in rural and remote communities perform multi-dimensional and complex roles. They require education opportunities that support them in providing the best healthcare possible to rural populations. However, the location and content of existing education programs often make them inaccessible and unsuitable to the context of rural nursing practice. In order to address this gap, the Rural Nursing Certificate Program (RNCP) was implemented and evaluated as a pilot project between 2007 and 2010. The RNCP is a provincial program that delivers practice-driven curriculum via e-learning modes and practical experiences to Registered Nurses (RNs) in rural communities throughout British Columbia, Canada. This paper reports on the summative evaluation of the program with respect to learning outcomes. It addresses the following research question: In what ways has the implementation of this practice-driven model of nursing education influenced nursing practice? Participants gave concrete and compelling examples of how RNs’ levels of confidence and competence rose as a result of their education, and evidence obtained from both nurses and their managers indicated that RNs improved their practice, increased their knowledge, and developed important skills around research and evidence, effective communication, and teamwork. In addition to raising their levels of competence and confidence, participants reported that their engagement in the RNCP expanded their opportunities and increased their overall job satisfaction. RNs also experienced some challenges while in the RNCP, the most significant being time-management and workload. We conclude that these learning outcomes bode well for supporting recruitment and retention efforts, and may contribute to improving patient outcomes.