Using the competency standards for professional development purposes

Checklist

Step 1

Self-assessment

Yes   No

Step 2

Professional development plan

Yes   No

Step 3

Professional portfolio

Yes   No

Step 4

Reflection on nursing practice

Yes   No

Step 5a

Peer assessment

Yes   No

Step 5b

Employer assessment

Yes   No

Step 5c

Review of professional development plan

Yes   No

Step 6

Evaluation

Yes   No

Step 1. Self assessment
Complete the self assessment against the national competency standards for registered or enrolled nurses1 and the competency standards for registered or enrolled nurses in general practice.

See also:

Step 2. Professional development plan
Prepare a professional development plan for the next 12 months using the units of competency that you are NOT confident that you meet. A professional development plan outlines your learning needs and your professional goals as you maintain competence and further develop your nursing practice.

Aim to develop goals that are:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time-framed (set start and finish dates)2

See also:

Step 3. Professional portfolio
Develop a professional portfolio. A professional portfolio is a comprehensive record of your professional roles. It is updated on an annual basis at the minimum. A professional portfolio is a confidential document although you can use copies of some of the information when applying for a new position or a pay increase, applying to undertake some further education, or when audited by the nurse regulatory authority for the purposes of continuing competence.

See also:

Step 4. Reflection on nursing practice

  • Reflect on your competence as a nurse working in the general practice setting.
  • Key issues to reflect upon when reviewing an event at work are 3:
  • What happened? What did you do? What did others do?
  • Why was it an important event for you? What were the best things about the event? What were the worrying things about the event?
  • What would you do differently next time? What is needed to be done by you so that you can be more effective next time?

Step 5. Assessment
Arrange a performance assessment by a peer and/or your employer so that you have other perspectives on your current level of competence and your professional development plans. You may need to review your professional development plans after this step.

See also:

A peer is a nursing colleague who, for example, may be working in the same general practice or at another general practice in your local area, or is a member of your professional network. You should have professional respect for the peer that you select to assist you to assess your competence and prepare your professional goals.

A useful resource may be the Australian Government's recently released mentoring fact sheets for nursing in general practice and these can be found on the Department of Health and Ageing website at www.health.gov.au

Asking a peer for feedback 4:

  • Arrange a time and place so that you are not interrupted;
  • Brief the peer in advance on what you want to talk about ie your nursing practice in general practice;
  • Raise some of your issues about your nursing practice in general practice eg use your self assessment or examples of reflection on practice;
  • Ask the peer about your strengths (what do I do well?) and weaknesses (where do I need to improve?);
  • Discuss your personal development plan and analyse if it will achieve your goals;
  • Listen to the feedback that you are given;
  • Ask questions and seek clarification;
  • Keep the notes that you make during the peer assessment and reflect constructively on these at a later time.

Step 6. Evaluation
Evaluate your progress using the self-assessment tool and monitoring your achievement of the goals set in the professional development plan.

1 Registered nurse (division 2) in Victoria

2 College of Dietitians of Ontario Quality Assurance Program 2004 SDL Tool http://www.cdo.on.ca/

3 Nurse Board of Western Australia 2004 Professional portfolio www.nbwa.org.au

4 Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia Professional development: A short guide to meeting continuing competency requirements http://www.rnabc.bc.ca/