Behavioral competencies for nursing practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Standards
• Professional Development

Background:

• In 1987, the Illinois Nurses' Association (INA) formed a task force to standardize nursing education.
• This task force developed behavioral competency statements for two nursing practice levels.
• These statements were not implemented due to concerns about divisiveness within the association.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and analyze the previously hidden behavioral competency statements developed by the INA task force.
• To evaluate the relevance and potential application of these 1987 nursing practice standards in contemporary nursing education.
• To re-examine the historical context and reasons for the non-dissemination of these nursing competency standards.

Main Methods:

• Historical document analysis of the 1987 INA task force materials.
• Review of nursing education standards and competency frameworks.
• Qualitative assessment of the behavioral competency statements' content and structure.

Main Results:

• The INA task force successfully created detailed behavioral competency statements for two levels of nursing practice.
• These statements outlined specific performance standards intended to guide nursing education.
• The findings were withheld due to apprehension regarding potential professional disagreements.

Conclusions:

• The 1987 INA behavioral competency statements represent a significant, yet overlooked, contribution to nursing practice standards.
• Revisiting these historical documents offers valuable insights for current discussions on nursing education and competency assessment.
• The potential benefits of these standards warrant further investigation and consideration for modern nursing practice.