Competency assessment is required at 2 specific points - initially and on an ongoing basis. Initially means new hires, job changes, new equipment/supplies/policies/procedures. Ongoing does not have a specific time period and each faciilty determines the frequency for each competency. What is assessed on this ongoing basis is determined by your clinical outcomes, where your problems are. So what you assess periodically should change toward the goal of improving those outcomes. It does not good to assess the same skills in staff members who successfully perform the skill regularly and produce good outcomes. So quality improvement and competency assessment is definitely linked together. Please see INS SOP on Competency. Lynn
We have a skills lab for all new hires approximately 1 month after starting at our facility. We used to do it during their initial orientation in the first 2 weeks but found that they had more questions when they were on the floor for a month and then came to the skills lab. Much of the initial content like infusion pumps, etc are handled by the preceptor. We made a 20 minute video on our infusion pumps that all must watch prior to starting on the floor. The skills lab has been very well received. We also do a yearly education to all nurses on a particular subject matter annually. This usually lasts 30-45 minutes. Depending on content, it could be "hands on" or it may be in a lecture format. I would not consider this a competency, just a yearly review.
Karen Ratz,RN, VA-BC Unity Point St. Lukes Hospital, Cedar Rapids,IA
Competency assessment is required at 2 specific points - initially and on an ongoing basis. Initially means new hires, job changes, new equipment/supplies/policies/procedures. Ongoing does not have a specific time period and each faciilty determines the frequency for each competency. What is assessed on this ongoing basis is determined by your clinical outcomes, where your problems are. So what you assess periodically should change toward the goal of improving those outcomes. It does not good to assess the same skills in staff members who successfully perform the skill regularly and produce good outcomes. So quality improvement and competency assessment is definitely linked together. Please see INS SOP on Competency. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
We have a skills lab for all new hires approximately 1 month after starting at our facility. We used to do it during their initial orientation in the first 2 weeks but found that they had more questions when they were on the floor for a month and then came to the skills lab. Much of the initial content like infusion pumps, etc are handled by the preceptor. We made a 20 minute video on our infusion pumps that all must watch prior to starting on the floor. The skills lab has been very well received. We also do a yearly education to all nurses on a particular subject matter annually. This usually lasts 30-45 minutes. Depending on content, it could be "hands on" or it may be in a lecture format. I would not consider this a competency, just a yearly review.
Karen Ratz,RN, VA-BC Unity Point St. Lukes Hospital, Cedar Rapids,IA