For all nurses, continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential part of best practice consumer care. While it can be easy to forget, health care professionals need to keep on top of their knowledge and skills as they evolve, even long past their formal studies.

In Australia, all nurses are required to complete 20 hours of CPD each year to remain registered. The hours are set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and must be relevant to the nurses’ context of practice.

For example, you may be interested in learning more about the annual updates to Immunisation, but CPD points will only count if it is within your practice.

The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is excited to announce that CPD is now available in a hybrid format. Nurses are now able to attend face-to-face options in 15 different specialties in addition to the online CPD Centre that has become a guiding light for us through COVID-19.

To celebrate the announcement, we sat down with ACN’s CPD educators to answer all your questions.

Why ACN for continuing professional development?

ACN is a leading provider of CPD that is by nurses, for nurses and our hybrid model means nurses can work around shift work. Their online hub has a wide variety of topics, with over 100 opportunities to develop your skills, and more added every month.

In October 2022, we began running face-to-face courses again, with great support from our nursing community. We are continuing to offer face-to-face CPD throughout 2023, increasing locations and courses so you can feel confident walking into your workplace that you are providing best practice care. After so long in isolation, getting to meet and learn side by side with other nurses can open many new and exciting opportunities.

Unlike other courses, as ours are written AND presented by nurses who are experts in their field, you know you are walking into a course that is focused, clinically relevant and reflects evidence-based research and best practice guidelines.

What face-to-face courses are available?

ACN has 15 courses available for face-to-face CPD in 2023. These courses will be offered across over 70 day or half-day sessions, with more being added throughout the year. Course topics in NSW include Venepuncture and Cannulation, Urinary Catherisation, Lymphoedema Management, Preceptor Program, Mental Health Assessment for Non-Mental Health Nurses, Introduction to Child and Family Health, Psychosocial Screening for Child and Family Healthcare, Chronic Disease Management and many more.

Why do face-to-face if we can do CPD online?

While online learning is beneficial in its own ways, face-to-face CPD gives nurses the opportunity to be hands-on with their learning to develop more practical skills in a simulated environment.

For example, with the Urinary Catheterisation workshop, nurses can physically try the techniques they learn on real dolls, allowing them to practice and learn on lifelike bodies without injuring a consumer.

In face-to-face courses, nurses also have the chance not only to learn from the expert nurse educators, but also your colleagues. Your CPD cohort is made up of specialists who have insights, experiences and challenges from their workplaces that you may not have experienced before.

Having the chance to be in the same room as your colleagues also provides networking opportunities. Everyone attending comes from diverse backgrounds and settings, and you never know, you may be meeting a new job opportunity or gain a new insight into an area of nursing.

The Australian College of Nursing is excited to work with nurses to develop CPD that is refreshing, welcoming, and thought-provoking to enhance their understanding and passions for nursing. Face-to-face options are now open to register on our website and online through our CPD Centre. ACN Members receive 70+ free online CPD hours, and a significant discount on face-to-face courses. Not a member? Join today.

This article was originally published on NurseClick, ACN’s blog on nursing practice, policy developments and professional issues.

This article is sponsored by ACN.