EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A UNIT BASED COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM TO VERIFY NURSING STAFF COMPETENCE AT A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY

Abstract Identification and implementation of competency requirements are particularly relevant for nurses who provide care to the spectrum of residents, both young and old, with complex comorbidities and disabilities residing in long-term care (LTC). To ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality care, nurse leaders must create a culture that encourages staff to attain and maintain competence. To date, literature on the implementation of a unit-based competency assessment program in LTC has been absent. This descriptive quality improvement project evaluated the measurable and perceived outcomes of the implementation of a unit-based competency assessment program underpinned by the Wright model. The sample and setting were the licensed nursing staff employed at one LTC facility specializing in neuromuscular disorders. Methods included a peer reviewer workshop, presentation of the facility’s Stepping Up Our Standards initiative, competency assessment employing one of four verification methods to demonstrate competency for monitoring respiratory changes, focus group (FG) sessions, and data analysis. Demographic surveys were completed by 82.2% of the program participants. FG sessions to explore perceptions of the competency assessment experience were attended by 51.1% of the staff, all of whom completed a second demographic survey. All staff members successfully demonstrated competence with 78% choosing the exemplar method. Four themes were identified: Unsettling Change, Figuring It All Out, Assessing the Value, and Yearning for Feedback. Participants indicated undergoing the competency assessment process resulted in a perceived benefit: a more complete understanding of the assessed competency. A unit-based competency assessment framework is a recommended approach for competency development and assessment.

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Work Title EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A UNIT BASED COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM TO VERIFY NURSING STAFF COMPETENCE AT A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY
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Penn State
Creators
  1. DONNA MARIE ALCORN
Keyword
  1. DNP Project, Competency Assessment, Long-Term Care
License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
Work Type Project
Acknowledgments
  1. Susan L. Loeb, Ph.D., RN, FGSA, FAAN
  2. Andrea Yevchak Sillner, Ph.D., RN, GCNS-BC
  3. Lori Lauver, Ph.D., RN, CPN, CNE
  4. Kelly A. Wolgast, D.N.P., RN, FACHE, FAAN
Publication Date April 20, 2018
Subject
  1. Competency Assesment, Long-Term Care
Language
  1. English
DOI doi:10.18113/S1433X
Deposited April 20, 2018

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