Developing an inservice program to meet accreditation requirements

Today's OR challenges the nurse manager to offer inservice sessions that expand the knowledge base of staff members who provide patient care. A well-planned inservice program that is based on the assessed needs of the department and staff members can help meet this challenge. The program must have inservice sessions with stated, measurable learning objectives; a method of evaluation; and a means of documenting the inservice offering. The overall inservice program must be evaluated continuously and changed as needed. Above all, the program must be geared toward establishing and maintaining the competence of OR staff members. Only then can managers be sure that patients are receiving the best possible nursing care.