TY - JOUR
T1 - Continuing education needs in geriatrics/gerontology
T2 - Specifying occupational and organizational attributes of service professionals
AU - Cryns, Arthur G.
AU - Wilderom, Celeste P.M.
N1 - Funding Information:
A portion of this paper was presented at the 38th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA, November 22-26, 1985. This research was supported, in part, by a grant provided to Dr. Calkins and the first author by the Bureau of Health Professions, Department of Health & Human Services, Washington, D.C. We would like to thank the staff of the Western New York Geriatric Education Center for their efforts in the data collection of this study.
PY - 1989
Y1 - 1989
N2 - An analysis was made of gerontological continuing education (CE) needs of a systematic sample of health care professionals providing services to the aged in New York State (U.S.). Professionals with previous exposure to gerontological CE programs were found to have higher need levels than those without such experience. Those with less than 1 year and those with 5 to 9 years of work experience with the aged appear significantly less interested in acquiring new gerontological skills and knowledge than those with either limited (2-4 years) or extensive (>10 years) experience. This nonlinear need pattern is established for all care providers, regardless of educational background. Interest in the CE topics listed is higher among nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals than among M.D.s and Ph.D.s. Clearly, professionals who have extensive daily contacts with the aged express the highest need for CE in gerontology. They appreciate multiple didactic formats and formal credit for CE attendance. Through the detailed analysis of CE needs of health care professionals dealing with the elderly, a clearer picture of how to serve them emerged. Combining future marketing efforts with applied social research goals in this area is highly recommended.
AB - An analysis was made of gerontological continuing education (CE) needs of a systematic sample of health care professionals providing services to the aged in New York State (U.S.). Professionals with previous exposure to gerontological CE programs were found to have higher need levels than those without such experience. Those with less than 1 year and those with 5 to 9 years of work experience with the aged appear significantly less interested in acquiring new gerontological skills and knowledge than those with either limited (2-4 years) or extensive (>10 years) experience. This nonlinear need pattern is established for all care providers, regardless of educational background. Interest in the CE topics listed is higher among nurses, social workers, and allied health professionals than among M.D.s and Ph.D.s. Clearly, professionals who have extensive daily contacts with the aged express the highest need for CE in gerontology. They appreciate multiple didactic formats and formal credit for CE attendance. Through the detailed analysis of CE needs of health care professionals dealing with the elderly, a clearer picture of how to serve them emerged. Combining future marketing efforts with applied social research goals in this area is highly recommended.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84953046026&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/0380127890150107
DO - 10.1080/0380127890150107
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84953046026
SN - 0360-1277
VL - 15
SP - 81
EP - 101
JO - Educational gerontology
JF - Educational gerontology
IS - 1
ER -
