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The qualities and skills of practice developers
1NHS Trust and University of Ulster, Belfast. robert.garbett@royalhospitals.n-i.nhs.uk
Nursing Standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
|September 21, 2002
Summary
Practice development roles are crucial for healthcare improvement, requiring a blend of effective, visionary, and communicative skills. These staff members are vital for implementing health policies and enhancing clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Organizational Development
- Clinical Practice Improvement
Background:
- Healthcare systems face continuous policy changes and inquiries.
- Effective practice development is essential for adapting to these changes.
- Understanding the roles and skills of practice developers is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the activities and approaches in practice development.
- To identify the essential qualities and skills of practice development staff.
- To provide insight into the practice development role.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of 177 articles.
- Qualitative data from focus groups with 60 UK staff.
- Qualitative data from telephone interviews with 25 clinical staff.
Main Results:
- Key skills identified include effectiveness, vision, motivation, empathy, and cognitive-political acumen.
- Communicative, facilitative, and clinical skills are also highlighted.
- A comprehensive profile of practice developer competencies emerged.
Conclusions:
- Practice development is central to meeting NHS policy objectives.
- The skills identified are critical for navigating healthcare reforms.
- Practice developers play a pivotal role in organizational change.