Evaluating continuing competency: a challenge for nursing

Twenty-five nurse leaders met at an invitational conference in Texas to discuss professional nurse competency evaluation. Conference attendees who were statewide nursing leaders in practice, education, and administration identified ways to evaluate competency. Responses were recorded and clustered into the following patterns: (1) components of competency evaluation, (2) barriers and challenges to evaluating competency, and (3) recommendations for evaluating competency. Conference attendees reported competency includes the abilities to think in action, have confidence and clarity in decision making, and retrieve information throughout the career trajectory. Nurses must demonstrate the ability to access evidence-based information and synthesize it within the context of practice situations. Self-reflection and self-assessment are necessary components to competency evaluation for the improvement of nursing practice.