A Study to Identify the Training and Development Needs of Nurses Working at a Private Multispecialty Hospital in Delhi

With the increasing demand for improved productivity and quality of service in organizations, strategies for improving the work performance of personnel have become increasingly important. The aim of this study was to identify the training and development needs of nurses in a private multispecialty hospital in Delhi. The study also aimed to prioritise the identified needs.

A cross sectional survey was conducted among 100 nurses working in the selected hospital. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Also 4 nurse educators were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule to identify the training and development needs of nurses working in the hospital.

The top 10 training and development needs (training gap >1) identified in the order of priority were - Care of ventilated patient, Handling emergencies, Consulting with colleagues about care options, Updating knowledge as per the latest research, Interpreting results from clinical investigations, Administration of narcotics/high risk medications, Coordination with various departments, Management of chest drainage, Endotracheal tube/Tracheostomy Tube Suctioning, and Use of computers/Hospital Information System. Majority of nurses preferred clinical bedside training (71%) over class room teaching (29%).

Training plays a key role in building skills and equipping staff with better knowledge. So, it is of paramount significance that training needs of nurses are properly identified to build a good training program and hence to ensure quality patient care.