Critique of Position Statement: CPD and Nursing Practice Standards

This report presents a critique of a position statement advocating for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in nursing. The analysis evaluates the structure of the statement, its relevance to the topic, and its alignment with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) standards and practices. The critique examines the author's arguments, including the practicality of the recommended CPD hours, and assesses the supporting evidence from current sources, such as the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. The report highlights the importance of CPD in maintaining nurses' knowledge, skills, and delivering acceptable patient care, emphasizing the link between CPD and NMBA standards related to patient safety and informed decision-making. The report concludes with a positive assessment of the author's work, emphasizing the use of relevant and current sources to support the position that CPD is vital for better nursing care.

Running head: CRITIQUING OF POSITION STATEMENT
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Critiquing of Position Statement
Name
Affiliation

CRITIQUING OF POSITION STATEMENT 2
Position Statement Critique
The position statement in the paper is structured. It has an beginning and a conclusion
that evidently expresses the position. In the introduction, the author emphasizes that undertaking
Continuous Professional Development (CPD), as guided by National Boards (AHPRA), is
instrumental in promoting impeccable nursing practices. CPD gives nurses a platform to update
themselves with dynamic needs of their clientele. This is in line with Nursing and Midwifery
Board of Australia’s (NMBA’s) standards and values of nursing that supports the need for all
registered nurses to undergo CPD (Cashin et al., 2015). The author examines both the negative
and positive aspect of CPD right from the outset with a particular interest in the practicality of
the recommended time for training. In the conclusion part, the author reckons that the 20 hours
allocated for CPD is realizable when spread out within 12 months of registration.
The position statement relates to the topic of the paper significantly. In the topic, the
author clearly states that CPD is mandatory in ensuring that nurses maintain the knowledge and
skills necessary for delivering acceptable patient care (Ross, Barr & Stevens, 2013). The
readership can gather from the topic that attaining the 20 hours of CPD training is not easy. The
position statement does not deviate from the topic at all. It emphasizes that amid difficulties, it
important for nursing practitioners to complete the hours allocated for the exercise.
The position statement provides a strong link to NMBA standards and practices. The
author recognizes that one of the elemental roles of NMBA is to shield the public from any harm
from unqualified or unscrupulous nursing practitioners through mandatory learning. There are
various sections of the NMBA that support continuous training to acquire new knowledge. The
position statement emphasizes that if nursing practitioners were to adhere to all the hours

CRITIQUING OF POSITION STATEMENT 3
allocated for CPD training, NMBA standards 3.7 and 2.7, 3.3 and 6.2 would be realized fully
(Gill et al., 2017). This will, in turn, translate to safety and patient-centered healthcare. In
addition, the knowledge and skills gained during CPD training are instrumental in making
informed decisions that are integral to better planning. Just like the NMBA standards and
practices which provide for training aimed at patient safety, the CPD propagated by position
statement advocates for short courses, programs and updates regarding changing policies in
healthcare.
The sources used to support the position are current and therefore their credibility cannot
be questioned. The oldest was authored in 2012. This is within five years of authorship and as
such very current. In addition, some are governmental guidelines aimed at streamlining the
nursing practice; an example is Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency authored in
2017.
A thorough perusal of the essay reveals that the author did a commendable job. He has
included a significant amount of evidence. He has used very relevant and current sources that
show unwavering evidence that undertaking of CPD is vital for the delivery of better nursing
care (Ross, Barr & Stevens, 2013).

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References
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. (2017). Continuing Professional
Development. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
Cashin, A., Buckley, T., Donoghue, J., Heartfield, M., Bryce, J., Cox, D., ... & Dunn, S. V.
(2015). Development of the nurse practitioner standards for practice Australia. Policy,
Politics, & Nursing Practice, 16(1-2), 27-37.
Gill, F. J., Kendrick, T., Davies, H., & Greenwood, M. (2017). A two phase study to revise the
Australian Practice Standards for Specialist Critical Care Nurses. Australian Critical
Care, 30(3), 173-181.
Ross, K., Barr, J., & Stevens, J. (2013). Mandatory continuing professional development
requirements: what does this mean for Australian nurses. BMC nursing, 12(1), 9.