Abstract

Objective: To describe the current situation, needs, facilitating factors, and barriers to participation in continuing medical education among nurses, midwives, and medical technicians at Ha Dong General Hospital during the period 2024–2025.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 325 nurses, midwives, and technicians using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.

Results: A total of 89.2% of participants had taken part in CME activities, yet only 29.9% met the required minimum of 24 hours per year, with an average of 6.04 hours/person/year. Training was predominantly lecture-based (94.8%). The most common topics included communication skills (79.7%) and patient safety (75.2%), while scientific research and quality management are less frequently implemented, at 33.8% and 23.3% respectively. A high proportion (93.2%) expressed a desire to continue CME, and 81.2% were willing to self-fund. The main barriers reported were heavy workloads (79.9%) and lack of financial support (62%).

Conclusions: Nurses, midwives, and medical technicians demonstrated strong demand of CME and self-motivation for continuous learning but faced significant barriers, particularly work overload. CME programs should be designed to be more flexible and practice-oriented, preferably delivered during working hours, with financial support and the involvement of external experts to improve training effectiveness.