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Assessing Nurse Competency in the Veterans Health Administration Registered Nurse Transition-to-Practice Residency
Blake Barrett1, Peter Toyinbo, Mary Pat Couig
1Nursing Innovations Center for Evaluation (NICE), Research and Development Service, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital and Clinics, Tampa, Florida (Mr Barrett, Drs Toyinbo, Rugs, Melillo, Cowan, and Powell-Cope, and Ms Chavez); College of Nursing, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque (Dr Couig); Intergovernmental Personnel Act affiliation with the Office of Nursing Services, RN Transition-to-Practice Residency Program, Workforce and Leadership Development (Dr Couig), Office of Nursing Services, Workforce and Leadership Development (Dr DeMasi), and Office of Nursing Services, Research and Analytics (Dr Sullivan), Veterans Health Administration, Washington, District of Columbia; and The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California Davis, Sacramento (Dr Powell-Cope).
Background:
New graduate registered nurse (RN) competencies are complex and difficult to measure. Psychometrically sound tools are needed to evaluate competencies for nurses participating in nurse residencies.
Purpose:
Project aims were to develop an item pool for a tool to measure new graduate RN competencies for the Veterans Health Administration RN Transition-to-Practice Residency Program; validate item pool content; and use consensus methods to improve item pool content validity.
Methods:
A sequential, mixed-methods design was used. Item pool creation, content validation, and revisions included a collaborative process with the evaluation team, operational stakeholders, and subject matter experts (SMEs).
Results:
Inclusion of SMEs in item development enhanced item pool content validity to measure nurse competency. Stakeholder feedback ensured programmatic logistical and evaluation concerns were met.
Conclusions:
Engaging SMEs in conceptualization, item development, and aligning existing standards enhanced item pool content validity to measure nurse competencies for new graduate RNs.
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