Book excerpt: Annotation End your struggle to assess, validate, and document the competency of your nurses. Assess nurses in five key specialties Now you don t have to spend time researching evidence-based competencies to assess your nurses skill sets! Author Barbara A. Brunt, MA, MN, RN-BC, has taken her best-selling toolkit and cited each competency with solid, reputable evidence, so you can benchmark your staff against industry standards. "Evidence-Based Competency Management System: ""Toolkit for Validation and Assessment, "Second Edition, ensures you have everything you need to meet and exceed evidence-based competency requirements. This binder and CD-ROM pair is a complete evidence-based competency program created specifically for assessing, validating, and documenting the skills of your nurses. You ll find proven tips and strategies for effectively evaluating the training needs of your staff. This toolkit will bring you the evidence-based solutions you need to ensure safe patient care in the: Medical-surgical unit Operating room Emergency department Obstetrics unit Intensive care unit What s included? This proven and easy-to-use resource provides: 206 evidence-based competency skill sheets, plus 29 role-related checklists we ve done the work for you by putting together ready-to-use assessment skill sheets 150 pages of invaluable information to help you develop or revamp your competency assessment program Best practices for selecting annual competencies for validation The Competencies Analyzer spreadsheet to help you document and track staff skills A CD-ROM containing each skill sheet ready for you to implement or customize for use in your facility today "Evidence-Based Competency Management System: ""Toolkit for Validation""and Assessment, "Second Edition, is jam-packed with expert advice to help you: Schedule and organize competency assessments Develop an evidence-based competency assessment program Recognize the differences between mandatory annual training and competency validation Maintain a consistent validation system Keep up with new competencies Table of Contents at a glance: Chapter 1: Why is competency validation required? Chapter 2: What is competency validation? Chapter 3: Include competency validation in job descriptions and the performance-evaluation process Chapter 4: Train staff to perform competency validation Chapter 5: Keep up with new competencies Chapter 6: Using your skills checklistsLearning objectives: Design a competency plan to effectively assess employee competence Identify advantages of competency-based education Describe methods of validating competencies Recognize the benefits of incorporating competency assessment into job descriptions and performance evaluation tools Discuss the key elements required of performance-based job descriptions Develop a training program to train staff to perform competency assessment Maintain consistency in a competency validation system Identify steps for effective program documentation Recognize the essential qualities needed by competency assessors List potential categories for new competencies Identify best practices for implementing new competencies Discuss dimensions of competencies Differentiate between orientation checklists and skill checklists "