Exploring health economics course competencies' value for nurse administrators.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A survey of nursing administrators in the United States was conducted to solicit opinions about health economics (HE) course competencies for baccalaureate nursing programs. PURPOSE: To provide rationale for intensifying educational efforts to increase nurses' awareness about the value of HE skills in their everyday work. METHODS: Participants were asked to rate six HE competencies using a Likert scale. Paired-samples t tests, bivariate correlations, and standard multiple linear regressions were used to analyze survey results. DISCUSSION: A strong direct relationship exists between the amount of prior knowledge nursing administrators have about HE and the perceived level of usefulness of HE skills. CONCLUSION: Nurses' contributions to creating value in healthcare must be encouraged. Increasing the share and accessibility of the HE content in continuing education offerings could be one way to expand HE knowledge among practicing nurses and promote cost-effective delivery of healthcare in the United States.