Needs assessment for continuing education and health promotion training for Senegalese chief nurses/ Étude des besoins de formation continue en promotion de la santé pour les infirmières et infirmiers chefs de postes de santé (ICP) au Sénégal/ Estudio de las necesidades de formación permanente en promoción de la salud para las enfermeras y enfermeros jefe de los puestos de salud en Senegal

Abstract

This study, whose purpose is to contribute to improving chief nurses’ (ICP, French acronym) performance and practice in the realm of health promotion, was conducted in the medical region of Kaolak in Senegal. The objective is to identify the needs for ICP's continuing education and health promotion training and to delineate their priorities. This is a descriptive study characterised by a combined methodology which integrates a qualitative phase and a quantitative phase, in which six continuing education and training experts and 74 ICPs working in the region participated respectively. The method initially allowed the team to identify what are in theory the different types of health promotion skills that ICPs have, to validate this typology and it's contents through an expert panel and to adjust this to the practice of nursing at the community level in the Senegalese national context. Second, the range of training needs were measured by the ICPs and the classification of abilities was established in order of priority. This study allows for a comprehensive and detailed listing of needs for continuing education and training among Senegalese ICPs based on consensus on what their abilities are. The study also suggests that nurses’ initial education and training be adapted and continuing education and training be established.