33 C N C N Volume 45, Issue 1, August 2013 Copyright © eContent Management Pty Ltd. Contemporary Nurse (2013) 45(1): 33–45. I n 2005, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) published their investigation into the growing pressures on Australia’s health sys- tem (Productivity Commission, 2005). With concerns rising about whether all sectors of the Australian population have, or will continue to have, equal access to high quality and safe health care, the Australian government recognised a range of social and workforce demands including Australia’s ageing population, changes in health issues, increased community expectations, an ageing health workforce, and advances in medi- cal technology and models of care (Productivity Commission, 2005). A number of identified workforce demands related to the recruitment, education, retraining and retention of nurses and midwives. For exam- ple, between 2007–2011 the average age of nurses and midwives increased from 43.7 to 44.5 years, with the proportion of nurses and midwives aged 50 years and over rising from 33% to 38.6% (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012). Additionally, the Productivity Commission’s (2005) report noted increasing workforce short- ages within the nursing profession. Continuing professional development in nursing in Australia: Current awareness, practice and future directions MARY KATSIKITIS*, MARGARET MCALLISTER + , RACHAEL SHARMAN*, LISA RAITH*, ANNETTE FAITHFULL-BYRNE ! AND RAE PRIAULX # *School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia; + School of Nursing, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia; ! Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, QLD, Australia; # The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital, Buderim, QLD, Australia Abstract: Australian nurses and midwives are expected to compile a professional development portfolio during their annual registration process. This study aimed to ascertain the current understanding, practice and future continuing professional development (CPD) needs of nurses and midwives employed in a regional area of Queensland, Australia. Perceived barriers and incentives for CPD were also measured. 289 public and private hospital nurses and midwives responded to the survey. Results showed that participants understood the new requirements, valued ongoing learning, preferred education to occur within work hours, and considered their workplaces as accepting of change. Approximately two-thirds of participants believed CPD should be shared between them and their employers. Barriers to undertaking CPD included understaffing, and the concern that CPD would interfere with time outside work. Organisational support positively influenced attitudes to CPD. This study highlights the importance of supportive management in encouraging their workforce to embrace ongoing learning and change. Keywords: nursing, midwifery, education, continuing professional development, organisational change culture The result of the Productivity Commission’s research and COAG’s subsequent meetings was the establishment of the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency (AHPRA) – a ‘single national agency encompassing both the registration and accreditation functions,’ (Council of Australian Governments, 2008, p. 2) with 10 health profession-specific boards, one of which is nursing and midwifery. It was antici- pated that a national registration scheme, and the consolidation of the current profession-based accreditation regimes, would promote a more flex- ible, responsive, and sustainable health workforce. Specifically, AHPRA aimed to assist health pro- fessionals to move around the country more easily by providing a national registration process, and improve assurance of professional practice rele- vance and greater safeguards for Australian health care consumers by setting a minimum number of points to be accrued through training annu- ally (Australia’s Health Workforce Online, 2010). The transition to the new national regulatory body, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), which provides the regulations AHPRA oversees, has resulted in Queensland nurses and