Eleven Core Competencies in Nursing: PATIENT CARE COMPETENCIES

CONCEPTS UNDERLYING CORE COMPETENCIES

I. PATIENT CARE COMPETENCIES


1. Safe and Quality Nursing Care


Core Competency 1: Demonstrates knowledge base on the health /illness status of individual / groups
Identifies the health needs of the clients (individuals, families, population groups and/or communities)
Explains the health status of the clients/ groups


Core Competency 2: Provides sound decision making in the care of individuals / families/groups considering their beliefs and values
Identifies clients’ wellness potential and/or health problem
Gathers data related to the health condition
Analyzes the data gathered
Selects appropriate action to support/ enhance wellness response; manage the health problem
Monitors the progress of the action taken


Core Competency 3: Promotes safety and comfort and privacy of clients
Performs age-specific safety measures in all aspects of client care
Performs age-specific comfort measures in all aspects of client care
Performs age-specific measures to ensure privacy in all aspects of client care


Core Competency 4: Sets priorities in nursing care based on clients’ needs
Identifies the priority needs of clients
Analyzes the needs of clients
Determines appropriate nursing care to address priority needs/problems


Core Competency 5: Ensures continuity of care
Refers identified problem to appropriate individuals / agencies
Establishes means of providing continuous client care


Core Competency 6: Administers medications and other health therapeutics
Conforms to the 10 golden rules in medication administration and health therapeutics


Core Competency 7: Utilizes the nursing process as framework for nursing
7.1 Performs comprehensive and systematic nursing assessment
Obtains informed consent
Completes appropriate assessment forms
Performs appropriate assessment techniques
Obtains comprehensive client information
Maintains privacy and confidentiality
Identifies health needs




7.2 Formulates a plan of care in collaboration with clients and other members of the health team
Includes client and his family in care planning
Collaborates with other members of the health team
States expected outcomes of nursing intervention maximizing clients’ competence
Develops comprehensive client care plan maximizing opportunities for prevention of problems and/or enhancing wellness response
Accomplishes client-centered discharge plan
Implements planned nursing care to achieve identified outcomes
Explains interventions to clients and family before carrying them out to achieve identified outcomes
Implements nursing intervention that is safe and comfortable
Acts to improve clients’ health condition or human response
Performs nursing activities effectively and in a timely manner
Uses the participatory approach to enhance client-partners empowering potential for healthy life style/wellness


7.3 Evaluates progress toward expected outcomes
Monitors effectiveness of nursing interventions
Revises care plan based on expected outcomes


2. Communication
Core Competency 1: Establishes rapport with client, significant others and members of the health team
Creates trust and confidence
Spends time with the client/significant others and members of the health team to facilitate interaction
Listens actively to client’s concerns/significant others and members of the health team




Core Competency 2: Identifies verbal and non-verbal cues
Interprets and validates client’s body language and facial expressions


Core Competency 3: Utilizes formal and informal channels
Makes use of available visual aids
Utilizes effective channels of communication relevant to client care management


Core Competency 4: Responds to needs of individuals, family, group and community
Provides reassurance through therapeutic touch, warmth and comforting words of encouragement
Provides therapeutic bio-behavioral interventions to meet the needs of clients


Core Competency 5: Uses appropriate information technology to facilitate communication
Utilizes telephone, mobile phone, electronic media
Utilizes informatics to support the delivery of healthcare


3. Collaboration and Teamwork


Core Competency 1: Establishes collaborative relationship with colleagues and other members of the health team
Contributes to decision making regarding clients’ needs and concerns
Participates actively in client care management including audit
Recommends appropriate intervention to improve client care
Respect the role of other members of the health team
Maintains good interpersonal relationship with clients , colleagues and other members of the health team


Core Competency 2: Collaborates plan of care with other members of the health Team
Refers clients to allied health team partners
Acts as liaison / advocate of the client
Prepares accurate documentation for efficient communication of services


4. Health Education


Core Competency 1: Assesses the learning needs of the client-partner/s
Obtains learning information through interview, observation and validation
Analyzes relevant information
Completes assessment records appropriately
Identifies priority needs


Core Competency 2: Develops health education plan based on assessed and anticipated needs
Considers nature of learner in relation to: social, cultural, political, economic, educational and religious factors.
Involves the client, family, significant others and other resources in identifying learning needs on behavior change for wellness, healthy lifestyle or management of health problems
Formulates a comprehensive health education plan with the following components: objectives, content, time allotment, teaching-learning resources and evaluation parameters
Provides for feedback to finalize the plan


Core Competency 3: Develops learning materials for health education
Develops information education materials appropriate to the level of the client
Applies health education principles in the development of information education materials


Core Competency 4: Implements the health education plan
Provides for a conducive learning situation in terms of time and place
Considers client and family’s preparedness
Utilizes appropriate strategies that maximize opportunities for behavior change for wellness/healthy life style
Provides reassuring presence through active listening, touch, facial expression and gestures
Monitors client and family’s responses to health education


Core Competency 5: Evaluates the outcome of health education
Utilizes evaluation parameters
Documents outcome of care
Revises health education plan based on client response/outcome/s