Modeling of Lifelong Learning for Health Care Professionals – Nurses
INTRODUCTION. The article analyses the situation of lifelong learning of health care professionals, namely nurses, and problems in the context of global public health problems. In order to reach the effective lifelong training of nursing specialists, the qualifications are improved appropriately so that they correspond to the needs of activity and professional competences. The purpose is to prepare a lifelong learning model for health care professionals, namely nurses, who work in primary health care. METHODS. Literature review, documentation analysis, and the preparation of lifelong learning model were performed. RESULTS. The essence of the lifelong learning conception proposed by the authors (a healthy lifestyle, longevity of residents, and the assumption of life quality) is a sufficient competence of health care professionals, i.e., nurses, in primary health care. The lifelong learning model for nurses, as a group of health care professionals working in the area of primary health care, is presented, which could be of benefit to the organizers of the health care system, experts, and practitioners who aim at a maximum protection of health of the contemporary society (its each member), emphasizing prevention, healthy lifestyle, and life quality. CONCLUSIONS. In order to reach the effective lifelong learning of nursing specialists and improve qualifications appropriately, which would meet the needs of activity and professional competence, the model of lifelong learning is provided. The essence of this model is methodologically grounded lifelong learning programs, which meet the needs of nurses’ qualification development. They have to be created after the evaluation of morbidity rates and identification of the main problems, as well as indication of the needs of nurses’ competence development.
Correspondence to V. Vetrenkienė Educology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio 58, 44244 Kaunas, Lithuania. v.vetrenkiene@smf.vdu.lt