The concept of self-directed learning is examined from five vantage points: definition, importance, categories, characteristics of learners and activities, and implications for continuing medical education and program planning. (SK)

Describes how a hospital-based first-line manager (head nurse) development program was designed and implemented by using strategies appropriate to the values, norms, and resources within the organization. (JOW)

The typical retrospective approach to planning continuing professional education fails to close the knowledge gap of health professionals. The futurist literature is reviewed to determine new knowledge, role conceptions, related basic disciplines, and personal growth that nurses will need to master to avoid professional obsolescence. (Author)

A study determined the learning needs of office oncology nurses (n=290)as a critical first step in planning education programs. Participants ranked cancer-care topics similarly, regardless of age, background, or experience. The highest-ranked needs were clustered in the areas of cancer nursing practice, major cancers, and cancer treatment.…

Results of a study indicate that continuing education (CE) issues form an integral part of pharmacists' morale and demographic factors have impact implications for CE programers. Suggests that programers use statistical analysis to identify differences in issues that reflect demographic situations. (JOW)

A random sample of 661 U.S. and Canadian pharmacists (38 percent response) identified characteristics of pharmacy continuing education (CE) program clientele that might assist in marketing these programs. Attitude toward CE was related to sex, age, practice setting, and source of CE. Practice setting was of most value in targeting a potential…

Phone interviews explored the attitudes of 27 course directors regarding continuing medical education (CME) needs. The action-reflection practitioner-inquiry method involved physicians and CME leadership in joint discourse for planning CME programs. (Author/JOW)

Adult development forces the question of the role of continuing education as part of the background for more effective continuing education or as a way to develop understanding and support for health care professionals as they progress in their careers. (Author)

Provides an overview of personal and situational influences on health professionals' participation in systematic learning activities that reflect gaps between learner's current and desired proficiencies. Concludes with suggestions for planning, conducting, and assessing effective learning activities. (JOW)

Discusses education programs concerning human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in relation to methods of presentation, program content, and presentation considerations. Various resources available to those planning HIV education programs are described. (Author)

Discusses the need for continuing education for health care professionals and educators and offers a model for the development of educational programs. Involvement of both the learner and the educator in identifying students' needs, planning learning experiences, and ongoing evaluation of the learning process are also discussed. (Author/JOW)

Discusses continuing nursing education workshops in terms of their background, content, presenters, participants, strategies of presentation, changes that took place as a result of participant feedback, and evaluations. Discusses how the workshops affected the presenters personally. (Author/JOW)

Describes the implementation of a 1989 law that mandated acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) education for Washington State health care workers. Makes recommendations for other states considering legislation and for educators and professionals involved in implementation of similar legislation. (JOW)

Concerns about health care costs and quality are focusing increasing attention on physicians and their continuing medical education (CME). These concerns have produced several calls for "a new definition," "a new vision," "repositioning," "reinventing," and "transforming" CME. However, differences in conceptualizations and vocabularies have…