The role of staff development in assuring competence

Leaders and educators from many facilities are struggling to understand what is expected of them, relative to competence assessment, by the joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Some have responded to the standards with the creation of a large number of checklists and annual skills fairs, along with a fragmented competence assurance system--all delegated to the staff development department. This article discusses such approaches, reviews JCAHO requirements, and suggests alternative strategies, including the use of the Nursing Interventions Classification.