Community health nurses` learning needs in relation to the Canadian community health nursing standards of practice: results from a Canadian survey (BMC Nursing)

Background: Canadian Community health nurses (CHNs) work in diverse urban, rural, and remote settings such as: public health units/departments, home health, community health facilities, family practices, and other community-based settings. Research into specific learning needs of practicing CHNs is sparsely reported. This paper examines Canadian CHNs learning needs in relation to the 2008 Canadian Community Health Nursing Standards of Practice (CCHN Standards). It answers: What are the learning needs of CHNs in Canada in relation to the CCHN Standards? What are differences in CHNs` learning needs by: province and territory in Canada, work setting (home health, public health and other community health settings) and years of nursing practice? Methods: Between late 2008 and early 2009 a national survey was conducted to identify learning needs of CHNs based on the CCHN Standards using a validated tool. Results: Results indicated that CHNs had learning needs on 22 of 88 items (20%), suggesting CHNs have confidence in most CCHN Standards. Three items had the highest learning needs with mean scores > 0.60: two related to epidemiology (means 0.62 and 0.75); and one to informatics (application of information and communication technology) (mean = 0.73). Public health nurses had a greater need to know about `...evaluating population health promotion programs systematically` compared to home health nurses (mean 0.66 vs. 0.39, p