INTRODUCTION: Continuing education has been associated with maintaining clinical competency for nurses. Despite this information, the availability, time, and financial support to attend continuing educational programs challenge the ability to develop, provide, or attend such programs. Before the development of methods to provide continuing educational programs to nurses working in rurally located emergency departments, a survey was developed to capture the perspective of these nurses. METHODS: An investigator-developed survey was administered to emergency nurses working within an emergency department located in a rural Midwestern state. Consent was implied upon return of the survey, and response to the survey was voluntary, in accordance with our institutional review board's policy. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 33 nurses, representing 3 different rurally located ED settings. The perceptions of the participants of this study are that maintaining clinical competency is important and that ongoing continuing education should be mandatory. DISCUSSION: These data indicate that emergency nurses in rural areas are willing to participate in ongoing education and that maintaining clinical competency is valued. Using evidence-based data to develop continuing educational programs increases the potential for the programs to be appropriate and valued and more likely to be attended by these nurses.
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