Abstract

Nurses are a very important group of healthcare providers whose professional competence is central to effective health care delivery. Clinical service delivery is constantly evolving and healthcare providers require periodic training for contemporary professional skill. This study assessed the training needs and preferred approach to enhancing work performance among clinical nurses in University College Hospital, Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among clinical nurses/midwives in University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan south-western Nigeria. Stratified sampling technique was used to select study participants. A 30-item World Health Organization (WHO) training assessment tool adapted from the Hennessy Hicks Training Needs Analysis questionnaire was used for data collection. It was a self-administered questionnaire containing a set of tasks which focused on major job subcategories essential to role of healthcare professionals. Data was analyzed based on the Hennessy Hicks guidelines. Results were presented using tables and graphs. Two hundred and ninety-nine respondents participated in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 38.4±7.9 years. Almost 50% of the respondents had spent over ten years working in the profession since qualification. Respondents reported they needed training in all the stated job sub categories and tasks. The preferred approach to enhance performance reported by respondents was training courses/programs.  This study showed the importance of training needs assessment in identifying gaps where training is needed for maximum impact among the nurses. Training program was the preferred approach to enhancing work performance among the study participants.

Key words: Training needs, clinical nurses, performance, research.