Helping Experienced Nurses Stay Current

Continuing Nursing Education staff members and Associate Dean Ruth Craven, center row, right, hold a framed weaving created in 1998 by participants at a national CNE confrence entitled, "On the Edge of a Millennium: Weaving the tapestry of Nursing Education."

CNE - Continuing Nursing Education - might be more appropriately called "Changing Needs Education" in today's transformational world. An important self-sustaining program of the School of Nursing for the past thirty years, CNE works closely with Washington health care agencies, community organizations, faculty, and students to help nurses stay current in their profession. It's a never-ending task, and one that keeps the eight closely-knit staff members and Associate Dean Ruth Craven very busy.

In the early 1980's, when CNE Director Martha DuHamel came to the School, she recalls that CNE offered about 20 conferences a year, serving about 2000 registrants. Last year, over 5000 people registered for 44 conferences, as well as for independent study courses and conferences cosponsored with other health sciences schools.

In addition to providing annual updates in 24 areas of nursing, CNE conferences address a whole range of topics that today's nurses deal with every day. Some of the subjects—such as pharmacology at the advanced practice level—have evolved from a single conference in the early 80's to six different conferences held annually for different specialty areas. Other conferences on topics such as the needs of diverse populations or school nursing have become so popular that they are now planned every year to address new strategies of care. Ideas for conferences are suggested by the CNE Advisory Committee which meets twice each year, as well as by faculty department coordinators, clinical faculty, former participants, and state and local health agencies.

One of CNE's most critical roles is to provide opportunities for nurses to network with one another as they strengthen their skills. CNE's largest annual conference, held this year on Sept. 19-22, 2001, brings together over 900 nurse practitioners throughout the country for four days of education and collegial interchange. Over one-third of registrants are UW School of Nursing alumnae. The second largest conference is a spring forum for nurses working in clinics, offices, home care, day surgery, public health and other ambulatory care settings. The latter, scheduled for May 9-10, allows participants to choose from over 45 clinical and management sessions and to strengthen their practice by learning from colleagues in diverse outpatient settings.

"These conferences are an opportunity for nurses to come together to share their common concerns and explore new career paths as they update their skills," says DuHamel.

In addition to organizing conferences, CNE offers over 50 independent study courses that can be taken at home or work. It cosponsors a perioperative internship program with the UW Medical Center (UWMC) and partners with UWMC in offering two courses on a regular basis for newly hired nurses. CNE also maintains an active website with information about upcoming conferences, on-line registration, and six new on-line courses that can be viewed at no charge or, for a small fee, taken for contact hours. In 2002, CNE hopes to begin offering an intensive specialty course in wound management.

Do you have an idea for a continuing education course? Would you like to serve on a planning committee? UWCNE would love to hear from you. Please call (206) 543-1047 or go to www.uwcne.org to learn more about continuing education opportunities at the School of Nursing.