Continuing Professional Development Assessment of Healthcare Professionals in Public Secondary Hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the engagement of healthcare professionals in continuing professional development in public secondary hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria. A survey research design and a multistage sampling technique were adopted for the study. The sample consisted of 356 healthcare professionals (112 physicians, 32 pharmacists and 212 nurses). The data were collected using a self-developed structured questionnaire. The questions were built based on the literature review with modified questions adapted from widely used the questionnaires on hospital survey on patient safety, ambulatory and community pharmacy, nursing safety practices and CPD professional and skill competency and World Health Organization Regional Guidelines for Continuing Medical Education. Healthcare professionals in adult general outpatient departments were only included in the study. Findings revealed that physicians engagement in informal CPD (conferences, seminars, in-service training) is (M = 3.09), and formal CPD (conduct of research, publications or peer journal review) (M = 2.11). Pharmacists engagement in informal CPD is (M = 3.10) and formal CPD (M =1.89), Nurses’ engagement in informal CPD is (M =2.30) and CPD (M = 1.78). These evidence indicates that the respondents tend to lean more on less time-demanding and work-based capacity building approach, than they engaged mostly in informal CPD activities than they engaged in a methodical educational and professional advanced method of capacity building. The study recommends improved Government funding for training, policy improvement on organizational support and working conditions for study leave opportunities, and aligning the metrics of evaluating and scoring CPD engagement with the need assessment gaps in healthcare system in renewing practicing license of healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Capacity building, Healthcare professionals Public healthcare service, Health workers training