Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.

An old kindergarten rhyme. Let's stretch our imagination further. In the process, Jack and Jill would have probably been injured. A passer-by would have taken them to the nearest clinic. The doctor being away, Ms Denise, a registered nurse [known commonly as an `RN'] has a problem: her medical college textbooks didn't deal with this particular type of injury. What is she to do?

Jane is a postgraduate nurse with a master's degree. She studied and worked in New York. Recently, she is posted to LA. Most of her patients suffer from tropical-weather-related problems that are specific to LA. Jane is confronted with a problem that is new to her. How best could she sort it out?

Situations confronting Denise and Jane aren't uncommon in the nursing profession.

Our world is developing fast. As its citizens, we need to get our knowledge constantly updated. Otherwise, we'll lag behind. Schooling teaches basic concepts; but to apply them in real life situations, further skills are needed. How can Denise and Jane cope up with this demand?

There are two options. They can go back to college by sacrificing their financially secure jobs. Even then, they'll probably be the oldest students in the class. Or else they can refer to medical books that throw light on specific medical problems faced by their patients. Like most professionals would do, Denise and Jane choose the second option.

Is there a better way? Yes, they can enroll in a Continuing Education program. What is Continuing Education? According to www.nursingworld.org, the official website of The American Nurses Association, Continuing Education comprises of "Systemic professional learning experiences designed to augment the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of nurses and therefore enrich the nurses' contributions to quality health care and their pursuit of professional career goals".

Here we are talking about Continuing Education programs that are accredited by Federal or state Accreditation Agencies. Accreditation is a mandatory legal requirement.

How do Nursing Continuing Education Programs score over other modes of updating one's knowledge base? NCEPs enable the nurses to grow professionally and personally. By doing a NCEP, they can also earn higher qualifications. This will enhance their professional image, take-home pay and status in society.

So the evidence is clear. It's time for Denise, Jane and numerous others to make the best use of the unique advantages of taking Continuing Education programs.