Post Graduated Training among Nurses in Thailand: a Thai Nurse Cohort Study

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate rate of continuing education among RNs and describe the change of work pattern after their continuing education. The study utilized data from the Thai Nurse Cohort Study (TNCS) database 18,756 RNs aged 20 – 64 years old. The rate of continuing education per 100 person-years and its 95% confidence interval. The results were as follows. Since 18,756 RNs started their work until the present, there were 52,191 records of work history and change of work pattern. Among them, there was 4,199 RNs (4,991 records) had continuing education; the overall rate was 1.22 per 100 person-years (95%CI: 1.19 to 1.26). The average of work experience was 20.32±9.92 years. The average of work duration before to study was 5.02 years (95%CI: 4.89 to 5.20). After RNs finished the continuing education, their work pattern had little change. Their work as health care service had decreased, while academic and administrative work had increased. The percentage of those works had changed from 86.05% to 77.77%, 7.53% to 10.84%, and 3.75% to 9.30% respectively. Conclusions, the rate of continuing education of Thai RNs was quite low. Most of them who enrolled in continuing education had work experience not more than 10 years. After finished the education, a high portion of them still worked in health care service, although it lower than before get in to the study. Therefore, the continuing education of Thai RNs should be promoted.