An exploratory survey of public health nurses' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and application of the Quad Council Competencies.

OBJECTIVE: A collaborative research team of community/public health nursing faculty and public health nurses surveyed public health nurses to explore knowledge, skills, attitudes, and application of the Quad Council Competencies for Public Health Nurses (QCC-PHN). METHODS: Evaluate the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and application of the 2011 QCC-PHN by public health nurses. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to answer the hypothesis related to the study objective. A convenience sample of 308 public health nurses completed an online survey. MEASUREMENTS: ANOVA was used to determine the difference between the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and application of community/public health nurses (C/PHNs) regarding the QCC-PHN based on nursing specialty preparation, years of nursing experience, and years of C/PHN experience. RESULTS: C/PHNs are described and differences in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and application are delineated. A statistically significant difference was found in knowledge and attitude based upon years of C/PHN experience. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations are proposed for increasing the QCC-PHN awareness, implementation, and evaluation to effectively enhance the practice of nursing C/PHN.

Nurse to adolescent health communication process: approach to Event History Calendar.

OBJECTIVES: comprehend the Event History Calendar components that are relevant for the nurse to adolescent communicative process, in the context of Primary Health Care. METHODS: reflective study, based on the Event History Calendar approach, in the relational, communicative, and educational dimensions. RESULTS: best practices for adolescent health promotion are vital and constitute a challenge to nurses. The Event History Calendar is a potential tool for research and care practices to comprehend the needs of adolescents, with reminder of key personal events, culturally and socially specific. The comprehension of retrospective data referring to activities, behaviors, experiences and transitions of life, in certain periods of time, enables dialogue and new understandings about the history of adolescents. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the Event History Calendar provides nursing professionals with an expansion of their practice in educational, relational, and communicative dimensions, as well as to instruct care planning and management.

DAISY: Meaningful Recognition-Transcending Cultural and Geographic Boundaries for Nurses.

The International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization have designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. 2020 Is also being celebrated as the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. The DAISY Award, as a global recognition of compassionate, extraordinary nursing care, aligns with both celebrations. DAISY stories from around the world demonstrate that nursing care delivered with compassionate skill is truly global and knows no boundaries!

The Community Guide: A Living Resource for Nursing Practice.

Evidence-based recommendations for preventive health.

Quad Council Coalition community/public health nursing competencies: Building consensus through collaboration.

BACKGROUND: The changing professional environment for community/public health nursing practice necessitates competencies grounded in current evidence-based practice. The Quad Council Coalition (QCC) appointed a Task Force to revise the 2011 QCC Competencies for Public Health Nursing. The goal of the competencies is to guide professional nursing practice, curricula, research, and policy development. This paper describes the process used to develop the revised 2018 Competencies. METHODS: A biphasic Delphi technique was used to conduct a detailed examination and build consensus. Four individuals representing community/public health practice and education collaborated to identify and implement a systematic process for revising the QCC Competencies. The process included multiple iterations of review and feedback using consistent methods and tools to analyze and synthesize themes. RESULTS: The primary result of this project is the 2018 QCC Competencies document that has strong consensus and provides a coherent voice from professionals on the practice of community/public health nursing. DISCUSSION: Use of current QCC Competencies will strengthen the community/public health nursing capacity to positively impact the health and well-being of populations.

Caseload management framework for public health nurses in the Republic of Ireland.

This article outlines the steps taken in a change management project to develop and implement a national caseload management framework for clinical nursing activities within public health nursing services in the Republic of Ireland. It involved the development of metrics, definitions, data collection resources and relevant written procedures. It was developed and implemented over a period of 12 months and involved the engagement and involvement of approximately 2000 frontline, management and administrative staff. Implementation was challenging due to the lack of software systems to collect and return data and support caseload management. Alternative IT-based data collection systems were identified, and work is ongoing to develop additional metrics and resources that will continue to support caseload management.

Nurse to adolescent health communication process: approach to Event History Calendar / El proceso de comunicación en salud de la enfermería con el adolescente: un enfoque desde el Event History Calendar / Processo de comunicação em saúde da enfermagem com o adolescente: abordagem do Event History Calendar

ABSTRACT Objectives: comprehend the Event History Calendar components that are relevant for the nurse to adolescent communicative process, in the context of Primary Health Care. Methods: reflective study, based on the Event History Calendar approach, in the relational, communicative, and educational dimensions. Results: best practices for adolescent health promotion are vital and constitute a challenge to nurses. The Event History Calendar is a potential tool for research and care practices to comprehend the needs of adolescents, with reminder of key personal events, culturally and socially specific. The comprehension of retrospective data referring to activities, behaviors, experiences and transitions of life, in certain periods of time, enables dialogue and new understandings about the history of adolescents. Final Considerations: the Event History Calendar provides nursing professionals with an expansion of their practice in educational, relational, and communicative dimensions, as well as to instruct care planning and management.

RESUMEN Objetivos: comprender los elementos del calendario histórico de eventos relevantes al proceso comunicativo del enfermero con el adolescente, en el ámbito de la Atención Primaria de Salud. Métodos: estudio reflexivo, desde el enfoque del Event History Calendar, en las dimensiones relacionales, comunicativas y educativas. Resultados: las buenas prácticas para la promoción de la salud de los adolescentes son esenciales y constituyen un desafío al enfermero. El Event History Calendar es una herramienta potencial a las investigaciones y prácticas de asistencia para comprender las necesidades de los adolescentes, y contiene un recordatorio de los eventos clave personales, culturales y sociales específicos. El conocimiento de los datos retrospectivos referentes a las actividades, los comportamientos, las experiencias y el paso de la vida, en ciertos períodos de tiempo, permite el diálogo y nuevos entendimientos sobre la trayectoria del adolescente. Consideraciones Finales: el Event History Calendar permite que el profesional enfermero aumente su actuación en las dimensiones educativas, relacionales y comunicativas, además de establecer planes y una gestión del cuidado.

RESUMO Objetivos: apreender os componentes do calendário histórico de eventos relevantes ao processo comunicativo do enfermeiro com o adolescente, no âmbito da Atenção Primária à Saúde. Métodos: estudo reflexivo, fundamentado na abordagem do Event History Calendar, nas dimensões relacionais, comunicativas e educativas. Resultados: boas práticas para a promoção da saúde dos adolescentes são vitais e configuram um desafio para o enfermeiro. O Event History Calendar é ferramenta potencial para pesquisas e práticas de cuidado para apreender necessidades do adolescente, com recordatório de eventos-chave pessoais, culturalmente e socialmente específicos. A apreensão de dados retrospectivos referentes a atividades, comportamentos, experiências e transições da vida, em determinados períodos de tempo, possibilita o diálogo e novos entendimentos sobre a trajetória do adolescente. Considerações Finais: O Event History Calendar confere ao profissional enfermeiro uma expansão de sua atuação em dimensões educativas, relacionais e comunicativas, bem como para instruir planos e gestão do cuidado.

Machine Learning Methods for Identifying Critical Data Elements in Nursing Documentation.

BACKGROUND: Public health nurses (PHNs) engage in home visiting services and documentation of care services for at-risk clients. To increase efficiency and decrease documentation burden, it would be useful for PHNs to identify critical data elements most associated with patient care priorities and outcomes. Machine learning techniques can aid in retrospective identification of critical data elements. OBJECTIVE: We used two different machine learning feature selection techniques of minimum redundancy-maximum relevance (mRMR) and LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) and elastic net regularized generalized linear model (glmnet in R). METHODS: We demonstrated application of these techniques on the Omaha System database of 205 data elements (features) with a cohort of 756 family home visiting clients who received at least one visit from PHNs in a local Midwest public health agency. A dichotomous maternal risk index served as the outcome for feature selection. APPLICATION: Using mRMR as a feature selection technique, out of 206 features, 50 features were selected with scores greater than zero, and generalized linear model applied on the 50 features achieved highest accuracy of 86.2% on a held-out test set. Using glmnet as a feature selection technique and obtaining feature importance, 63 features had importance scores greater than zero, and generalized linear model applied on them achieved the highest accuracy of 95.5% on a held-out test set. DISCUSSION: Feature selection techniques show promise toward reducing public health nursing documentation burden by identifying the most critical data elements needed to predict risk status. Further studies to refine the process of feature selection can aid in informing PHNs' focus on client-specific and targeted interventions in the delivery of care.

Achieving consensus on the undergraduate curriculum of public health nursing in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to construct a consensus on the undergraduate learning objectives and topics for public health nursing (PHN) in Turkey. DESIGN: A three-round e-mail-based Delphi study was conducted between May and July 2015 with a national sample. SAMPLE: Ninety-one academics from 54 universities were invited as experts to participate by e-mail. Fifty-nine academics from 43 universities participated in the study. MEASUREMENTS: Data were analyzed by computing the median, quartiles one and three, and the interquartile range for each learning outcome and topic. Consensus was considered as less than the interquartile range of 1.2. RESULTS: Experts who participated in the study added 70 learning outcomes, eight main topics, and 278 sub-topics during the first round. Round I generated 170 learning outcomes, 28 main topics, and 385 sub-topics. At the end of Round II, consensus was reached on 126 learning outcomes, 22 main topics and 168 sub-topics. At the end of Round III, consensus was achieved for 126 learning outcomes, 22 main topics, and 169 sub-topics. CONCLUSION: The learning outcomes and topics that were decided upon through a consensus process will contribute to the standardization and development of PHN education.

Hypertension among adults living in Haiti: An integrative review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine what is known about hypertension among adults living in Haiti. BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the leading cause of morbidity, the identified cause of heart failure in 45% of patients and is associated with more than 70% of cardiovascular disease-related hospital admissions in Haiti. DESIGN: An integrative review of the literature. METHODS: Searching four databases from 2007 to 2018, Whittemore and Knafl's method was used to review the literature. Three nurse researchers independently reviewed and appraised each publication applying the Johns Hopkins Evidence-based Practice Appraisal tool. RESULTS: Eight publications were identified and appraised for level and quality of evidence. The synthesis of the literature yielded common themes of (i) high prevalence of hypertension among adults living in rural areas, (ii) public health challenges, (iii) lack of knowledge and awareness of hypertension and (iv) barriers to effective treatment. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is a highly prevalent disease in Haiti that is understudied and warrants attention. To better serve this vulnerable population, culturally tailored prevention strategies and disease management programmes are recommended. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: There is a lack of quality evidence to guide nurses in the management of hypertension for this vulnerable population. Identification of barriers to effective treatment among this underserved population will assist nurses and other healthcare professionals in identifying best possible practices for patient care in clinical settings across Haiti.

The Global Health Nursing Imperative: Using Competency-Based Analysis to Strengthen Accountability for Population Focused Practice, Education, and Research.

BACKGROUND: The Quad Council Competencies for Public Health Nurses are used to guide community and public health nursing course development in baccalaureate nursing programs. As clinical practice has expanded to global settings, the appropriateness of the 2011 Quad Council Public Health Nursing (PHN) Competencies to guide global clinical practice and evaluation was questioned. OBJECTIVE: To describe a comparison and analysis of three sets of competencies: PHN competencies, competencies for global health nurses, and interprofessional competencies for health professionals. METHOD: A literature review identified the most current guidelines and competencies for global health practice. Two seminal articles, "Global Health Competencies for Nurses in the Americas" and "Identifying Interprofessional Global Health Competencies for 21st-Century Health Professionals," were reviewed and compared with the 2011 Quad Council Public Health Nursing Competencies. A six-member multi-site team conducted a qualitative thematic approach to competency analysis. A four column crosswalk spreadsheet grid was used for comparison of the three sets of competencies. Column four was created to identify possible exemplars for clinical practice. FINDINGS: Gaps exist in the PHN competencies for specific global and interprofessional competencies. RECOMMENDATIONS: Enhanced and consistent emphasis on population/global health, and interprofessional content throughout nursing curricula is necessary to prepare providers for practice in global settings. Incorporation of global and interprofessional competencies should be considered in the revision of competencies for PHN practice to enhance productive contributions to community health outcomes. Consideration of proper placement of content gaps within basic and advanced nursing education as well as leveling for community/public health nursing practice needs to be addressed by nursing education and practice. In the interim, a special course or elective may be appropriate, especially for schools having clinical nursing practicums in international settings. Clinical evaluation in low-resource settings needs to be enhanced and aligned with competencies.

Using the ARCC Model to Implement the 2015 ANCC COA Criteria: A North Carolina Public Health Nursing Project.

In July 2015, the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation released updated criteria for continuing nursing education, including updates to the Education Design Process. The primary nurse planner in the Public Health Nursing Approved Provider Unit in North Carolina's Division of Public Health applied the advancing research and clinical practice through close collaboration model and quality improvement strategies to facilitate the adoption and implementation of the 2015 criteria. This article describes an innovative approach to implementation using an evidence-based practice model and quality improvement tools and provides data regarding nurse planners' knowledge of accreditation criteria and role comfort during the first 6 months of implementation. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2017;48(11):501-507.

Contributions of Public Health to nursing practice.

OBJECTIVE:: Analyze the perceptions of undergraduate nursing students about the contributions of public health to nursing practice in the Unified Health System. METHOD:: Qualitative Descriptive Study. Data collection was carried out through semi-directed interviews with 15 students. The language material was analyzed according to content and thematic analysis. RESULTS:: Thematic categories were established, namely: "Perceptions about Public Health" and "Contribution of Public Health to nursing practice in the Unified Health System". FINAL CONSIDERATIONS:: Perceptions about Public Health are diversified, but converge to the recognition of this field as the basis for training nurses qualified to work in the SUS with technical competence, autonomy and focusing on the integrality in health care. OBJETIVO:: Analisar as percepções de alunos do curso de bacharelado em Enfermagem acerca das contribuições da Saúde Coletiva para o trabalho de enfermeiros no Sistema Único de Saúde. MÉTODO:: Estudo descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa. A coleta de dados foi realizada mediante a técnica da entrevista semidirigida com 15 alunos. O material de linguagem foi analisado segundo a técnica de análise de conteúdo temático-categorial. RESULTADOS:: Foram produzidas as categorias temáticas "Percepções acerca da Saúde Coletiva" e "Contribuição da Saúde Coletiva ao trabalho do enfermeiro no Sistema Único de Saúde". CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS:: As percepções sobre a Saúde Coletiva são plurais, mas convergem para o reconhecimento desse campo como base de sustentação da formação de enfermeiros habilitados a trabalhar no SUS com competência técnica, autonomia e com foco na integralidade do cuidado em saúde.

Contributions of Public Health to nursing practice / Las contribuciones de la Salud Pública para el trabajo de los enfermeros / Contribuições da Saúde Coletiva para o trabalho de enfermeiros

ABSTRACT Objective: Analyze the perceptions of undergraduate nursing students about the contributions of public health to nursing practice in the Unified Health System. Method: Qualitative Descriptive Study. Data collection was carried out through semi-directed interviews with 15 students. The language material was analyzed according to content and thematic analysis. Results: Thematic categories were established, namely: "Perceptions about Public Health" and "Contribution of Public Health to nursing practice in the Unified Health System". Final considerations: Perceptions about Public Health are diversified, but converge to the recognition of this field as the basis for training nurses qualified to work in the SUS with technical competence, autonomy and focusing on the integrality in health care.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Analizar las percepciones de los estudiantes de la educación superior en Enfermería acerca de las contribuciones de Salud Pública para el trabajo del personal de enfermería en el Sistema Único de Salud. Método: Investigación descriptiva con un enfoque cualitativo. La recolección de datos se realizó mediante la técnica de entrevistas semiestructuradas con 15 alumnos. El material lingüístico se analizó de acuerdo con la técnica del análisis de contenido categorial temático. Resultados: Los temas producidos fueron 'Las percepciones sobre la Salud Pública' y 'La contribución de Salud Pública para el trabajo de los enfermeros en el Sistema Único de Salud'. Consideraciones finales: Las percepciones sobre la salud pública son plurales, pero convergen en el reconocimiento de este campo como un apoyo para la formación de los enfermeros calificados para trabajar en el SUS con competencia técnica, autonomía y enfoque en la integralidad de la atención sanitaria.

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar as percepções de alunos do curso de bacharelado em Enfermagem acerca das contribuições da Saúde Coletiva para o trabalho de enfermeiros no Sistema Único de Saúde. Método: Estudo descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa. A coleta de dados foi realizada mediante a técnica da entrevista semidirigida com 15 alunos. O material de linguagem foi analisado segundo a técnica de análise de conteúdo temático-categorial. Resultados: Foram produzidas as categorias temáticas "Percepções acerca da Saúde Coletiva" e "Contribuição da Saúde Coletiva ao trabalho do enfermeiro no Sistema Único de Saúde". Considerações finais: As percepções sobre a Saúde Coletiva são plurais, mas convergem para o reconhecimento desse campo como base de sustentação da formação de enfermeiros habilitados a trabalhar no SUS com competência técnica, autonomia e com foco na integralidade do cuidado em saúde.

Influencia de la dieta en la prevención primaria del cáncer gástrico en pacientes con infección por Helicobacter Pylori / Influence of diet in primary prevention of gastric cancer in patients infected with Helicobacter Pylori

Objetivo. Revisar la influencia de la dieta en la prevención primaria del cáncer gástrico, en pacientes con infección por Helicobacter pylori. Metodología. Revisión sistemática. Seleccionando «Helicobacter pylori», «diet» y «stomach neoplasms» del vocabulario estructurado DeCS y MeSH. Se consultaron fuentes de bases de datos primarias y secundarias, estableciendo límites. Resultado. La infección por H. pylori y los factores dietéticos pueden actuar de forma sinérgica en el desarrollo de cáncer gástrico, así como algunas prácticas de cocinado. Los factores dietéticos que pueden incrementar el riesgo de cáncer gástrico son el consumo elevado de sal, alimentos salados, grasas saturadas, carnes rojas y procesadas. En cambio, el de frutas y verduras sería un factor protector, en especial el de las del género allium y de la familia de las crucíferas. Conclusiones. Los estilos de vida y hábitos dietéticos pueden influir en el desarrollo de cáncer gástrico, especialmente en pacientes con infección por H. pylori . Disminuir el consumo de alimentos salados, procesados, ahumados o escabechados, carnes rojas y grasas saturadas, evitar tóxicos y tener una dieta rica en frutas y verduras, además de erradicar la bacteria, puede considerarse la estrategia preventiva más efectiva frente al riesgo de desarrollar cáncer gástrico (AU)

Introduction. Helicobacter pylori infection is the main risk factor for developing gastric cancer, with the influence of genetic, toxic and dietary factors. It is the fourth most common cancer and the second most deadly worldwide, so its prevention is important specially focusing on dietary habits, to be approached from the primary care setting. Aim. Evaluate the influence of diet on the primary prevention of gastric cancer in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods. Systematic review, the keywords «Helicobacter pylori», «diet» and «stomach neoplasms» were previously selected from the DeCS and MeSH structured vocabulary. Sources of primary and secondary databases were consulted, limits were established. Results. H. pylori infection and dietary factors may act synergistically in the development of gastric cancer and some cooking practices. Dietary factors may increase the risk of gastric cancer like the high consumption of salt, salty foods, saturated fat, red and processed meats, while fruits and vegetables may be considered as a protective factor, especially the high consumption of Allium and the cruciferous family. Conclusions. The lifestyle and dietary habits may influence the development of gastric cancer, especially in patients with H. pylori infection. Decreasing consumption of salty, processed, smoked or pickled foods, red meat and saturated fat, avoiding toxins, and carrying out a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, in addition to eradicating the bacteria, can be considered the most effective preventive strategy against the risk of developing gastric cancer (AU)

Population-Focused Practice Competency Needs Among Public Health Nursing Leaders in Washington State.

HOW TO OBTAIN CONTACT HOURS BY READING THIS ISSUE Instructions: 1.2 contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded after you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at http://goo.gl/gMfXaf. In order to obtain contact hours you must: 1. Read the article, "Population-Focused Practice Competency Needs Among Public Health Nursing Leaders in Washington State," found on pages 212-219, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz. 2. Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study. 3. Go to the Villanova website to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name, contact information, and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated. This activity is valid for continuing education credit until April 30, 2019. CONTACT HOURS This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated. Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. OBJECTIVES Describe supports and barriers to adopting population-focused care in public health nursing practice. Describe the benefit of using practice models to assess staff readiness for adopting evidence-based guidelines or practice competencies. DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Neither the planners nor the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose. Public health nurses (PHNs) need effective strategies to reduce health disparities, requiring a workforce that can practice with a population-focus across the continuum of care and with an ecological approach to health. A statewide leadership group of county-level PHN leaders in Washington assessed their training needs in population-focused knowledge and skills. Interview findings from 17 members were coded based on the Quad Council PHN Competencies. Recommendations were organized around the Push-Pull Infrastructure (PPI) practice model established to help bridge the practice-research gap. The PHN leaders in Washington State want to strengthen their own leadership skills and provide support to staff in transitioning to population-focused care. This article describes the assessment findings of PHN leaders' training needs using the PPI practice model and explores how the PPI might serve to develop evidence-based training for PHNs and local health department staff. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(5):212-219.

Public Health Nursing Position Descriptions Congruence with ANA Standards, Public Health Essential Services, and Quad Council Domains.

OBJECTIVE: To map position descriptions (PDs) for staff public health (PH) nurses to two national frameworks for PH nursing and one framework for PH. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: This descriptive study included PDs (N = 161) from 66 Ohio local health departments. MEASURES: Statements in each PD were analyzed for congruence with the twenty 2007 American Nurses Association Public Health Nursing Standards/Substandards (ANA Standards), the 10 Essential Services of Public Health (ES), and the eight 2003 Quad Council Public Health Nursing Skills Domains (QC domains). Health department and PD characteristics also were obtained. RESULTS: PDs addressed an average of 6.1 of the 20 ANA Standards, 4 of the 10 ES, and 1.9 of the 10 QC domains. The most commonly addressed ANA Standards, ES, and QC domains focused on assessment, linkages, health education, and regulation enforcement. About 78% of the PDs included task statements that did not correspond to any of the professional frameworks. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study demonstrate a lack of congruence between the organizational and the disciplinary expectations for PH nurses. Given the increasing focus on PH department accreditation, performance management, and workforce development, PH nursing must address this incongruence to strengthen the profession and the public's health.

Public health practice competency improvement among nurses.

BACKGROUND: Recommendations for improving public health workforce competency led to an academic-practice partnership project conducted to improve competency for providing essential public health services among public health nurses. PURPOSE: To measure competency for public health practice at baseline, identify factors associated with higher competency, document change in competency over 4 years, and assess differential effects associated with project participation. METHODS: Perceived competency was assessed using a validated instrument administered through online surveys at baseline (2007) and 4-year follow-up (2011). Analysis was completed in 2014. Overall means and SDs were calculated for each domain in the competency scale. Differences in means by role were tested using multivariate analysis of variance. Factors associated with higher competency were identified using regression analysis. Mean comparisons between baseline and follow-up were tested using paired samples t test and ANCOVA was used to test differential effects of project participation. RESULTS: Baseline competency levels were low in most domains. Managers reported higher competency in all domains compared to staff. Mean scores in all domains were higher on follow-up than baseline. Factors associated with higher competency in some domains included expected frequency of performance, higher degree, and younger age. Participants in project activities had higher mean competency scores than those who did not, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05) observed in four of nine domains. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in workforce development can contribute to improved perceived competency for public health practice among nurses. Continued investment in workforce development aimed at improving competency and additional research on competency assessment is warranted.

Core competency model for the family planning public health nurse.

OBJECTIVES: A core competency model for family planning public health nurses has been developed, using a three stage Delphi Method with an expert panel of 40 family planning senior administrators, community/public health nursing faculty and seasoned family planning public health nurses. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: The initial survey was developed from the 2011 Title X Family Planning program priorities. The 32-item survey was distributed electronically via SurveyMonkey(®). RESULTS: Panelist attrition was low, and participation robust resulting in the final 28-item model, suggesting that the Delphi Method was a successful technique through which to achieve consensus. CONCLUSIONS: Competencies with at least 75% consensus were included in the model and those competencies were primarily related to education/counseling and administration of medications and contraceptives. The competencies identified have implications for education/training, certification and workplace performance.