Published
I'm new to this as well, but I used an HC pro program called "Evidence Based Competency Management System". It gives good guidelines on differences between competencies and skills. I have a list of competencies, and attached to each competency is a skill. It has become rather laborious, and I probably over did it, but the situation here was that the current competencies were outdated and left a lot to the RN's own interpretation. I feel there needs to be a strong paper trail when it comes to evaluating competency, with references on how those competencies are validated. Anyway, hope this helps. It's a long process, but once in place, it's done!!
I would recommend that you purchase a copy of Donna Wright's book "The Ultimate Guide to Competency Assessment in Health Care". It's relatively inexpensive & she provides a wonderful overview of all of the different methods that can be used to validate & document competency. She advocates a 'less is more' approach - decreasing all the mounds of useless paperwork. I think you'll enjoy the book.
A note of caution -- be absolutely sure that your competency guidelines are exactly in line with your policies & procedures. If they are not the same, it is a HUGE liabilty risk for your organization.
I can tell you I had the exact same experience. This is what I did. I made a master list of all competencies that were to be needed. For each competency, there is a skill checklist that accompanies it. Example: for nurses to be competent in urinary catheterization, they must complete the skill checklist for urinary catheterization. The checklist is basically a step by step of the procedure (which I had to either create or update in certain circumstances). It was a huge undertaking, but now that it's done, I'm glad. Hope this helps you.
It is a work in progress. I would like to avoid the skills check off forms and just have asigned compentancy statement that the observer noted the skill completed using current policy/procedure. (date and number, manual info inserted)
I've been trying to orfer the book by Donna Wright but it wasbacked order on cheepbooks. I will try again....
Thanks for you input.
fgoff
fgoff
256 Posts
hey everyone! merry christmas!
i was just wondering. when you do skill competencies for new employees or for annual up-dates, do you have a skill check sheet for each procedure or just a list of all procedures that need to be completed to date and initial as they are accomplished?
i began this job a few months ago and there are about 20 procedures that are skill check off for competencies. that make for a large folder.... plus many are not all the same as the policy/procedures (no updates have been made and there are no electronic copies and hard are available.
thanks,
faith