A competency-based approach to public health nursing performance appraisal.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
To integrate public health nursing (PHN) competencies into a comprehensive performance review instrument for nurses at multiple practice levels in an urban public health department.

DESIGN:
Based on thorough review of PHN competency literature, the tool evaluates performance for 5 nursing practice classifications (Staff RN, Public Health Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Supervisor) in eight PHN domains (assessment, policy development/program planning, evaluation, communication, cultural competency, partnership/collaboration, disease prevention/health promotion, leadership/systems thinking).

SAMPLE:
Tool was piloted with over 50 nurses from PHN workforce (n>400) of Public Health-Seattle & King County (Washington).

METHOD:
Pilot testing includes all components of the performance appraisal system:
Public Health Competency Grid, statement of general workplace expectations, Nursing Performance Appraisal Tool, and supporting documents defining performance elements by job classification.

RESULTS:
Supervisors find the tool easy to use and report that it provides opportunity for real communication between employee and supervisor. Nurses at all practice levels report that it effectively describes/evaluates their practice.

CONCLUSIONS:
This tool is an efficient performance appraisal instrument providing meaningful feedback to nursing employees within a framework of PHN competencies. Adopting such tools in PHN practice can help nurses to better understand their role in population-based public health efforts.

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Author information

Author/s: Kalb, Kate Bracy (KB); Cherry, Nancy M (NM); Kauzloric, Jayne (J); Brender, Annette (A); Green, Kathy (K); Miyagawa, Leaann (L); Shinoda-Mettler, Anne (A);

Affiliation: Public Health-Seattle & King County, Seattle, Washington, USA. Kathleen.kald(-atsign-)METROKC.GOV

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Validation Studies

Journal: Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.) (Public Health Nurs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2006 Mar-Apr; vol 23 (issue 2) : pp 115-38

Dates: Created 2006/05/10; Completed 2006/07/11;

PMID: 16684187, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Attitude of Health Personnel
Clinical Competence - standards
Communication
Community Health Planning - standards
Employee Performance Appraisal - methods; standards
Feedback, Psychological
Humans
Interprofessional Relations
Leadership
Models, Nursing
Nurse Administrators - education; organization & administration; psychology
Nurse Clinicians - education; organization & administration; psychology

Nurse Practitioners - education; organization & administration; psychology
Nurse's Role
Nursing Assessment - standards
Nursing Evaluation Research
Nursing Methodology Research
Nursing Staff - education; organization & administration; psychology
Pilot Projects
Program Development - standards
Program Evaluation - standards
Public Health Nursing - education; standards
Systems Analysis
Washington

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