The Federal Nursing Service Award. Individual readiness in nursing

Individual readiness is critical for effective nursing in deployed environments. Although readiness is routinely tracked and reported, a study of its complexity among federal nurses was needed. An inductive research approach clarified the concept of individual readiness. Representing a broad range of deployment experience, focus group members developed a definition of the concept and identified six components: clinical competency; operational competency; survival skills; personal/psychosocial/physical readiness; leadership and administrative support; and group integration and identification. The findings form an overdue conceptual basis for future measurement of this important dimension of federal nursing.