National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
Nine broad areas of core competence that apply to all nurse practitioners, regardless of specialty or patient population focus. NONPF created the first set of Nurse Practitioner Competencies in 1990; the most recent updates were incorporated in 2017. This course was designed to prepare you to synthesize knowledge gained throughout the program and to apply each of the nine core competencies within your selected areas of practice and your representative communities. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The nine areas of competency are:
· Scientific Foundations
· Leadership
· Quality
· Practice Inquiry
· Technology and Information Literacy
· Policy
· Ethics
· Independent Practice
To Prepare
· Review this week’s Learning Resources, focusing on the NONPF Core Competencies Content.
The Assignment
For each of the nine NONPF competencies,
· write one paragraph explaining how the program has prepared you to meet the competency (for a total of at least nine paragraphs).
· Then, propose how you plan to engage in social change in your community as a nurse practitioner. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
· Finally, describe 1–2 legislative and/or advocacy activities in which your state nurse practitioner organization(s) are involved.
· Be specific and provide examples.
Healthcare organizations are facing a number of challenges. Leadership and nurse educators are certainly feeling the burden as they try to tackle business initiatives on reduced operating budgets. One consistent theme we’ve heard this year from systems nationwide is how critical it is to have nurse competencies accessible in a system that enables mobility and flexibility in training while preserving precious education resources. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
Each of these is subdivided into specific objectives that every nurse practitioner must demonstrate in order to graduate NP school. Furthermore, NP schools use the core competencies to design their curricula to ensure that students gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to practice as licensed independent practitioners. The NONPF asserts that achievement of these competencies is of greater value than the total number of clinical hours a student performs.
Scientific Foundation Competencies
These competencies ensure that nurse practitioners graduate with a comprehensive background in medical sciences. All nurse practitioner students are required to take foundational pathophysiology and pharmacology, but depending on their specialty, they may take additional courses. Psychiatric nurse practitioners often take courses in neuroscience whereas neonatal nurse practitioners take courses in neonatology. Scientific core competencies also include knowledge and understanding of clinical practice guidelines, evidence-based practice, translational research, and treatment of vulnerable and diverse patient populations. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The scientific foundation core competencies defined by the NONPF include the following:
- Thinks critically about data and applies this evidence to improving practice.
- Allows knowledge from the humanities and other disciplines to inform one’s work in nursing.
- Incorporates research findings to enhance practice methods and patient outcomes.
- Creates fresh evidence-based approaches and techniques, paying thought to research findings, core theory, and experience from practice. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
Leadership Competencies
Leadership competencies focus on professional accountability, scholarship, and advocacy. These skills ensure that nurse practitioner students understand their scope and standards of practice and that they are prepared to lead healthcare teams. The leadership competencies also encompass cultural sensitivity, engagement in professional organizations, and communication skills. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The leadership core competencies include the following:
- Embraces high leadership opportunities to facilitate change.
- Liaises effectively between various parties (e.g., healthcare teams, patients, community, policy advocates) in efforts to improve healthcare.
- Applies critical and reflective thinking to one’s leadership.
- Acts as an advocate for resource-efficient, cost-effective, and quality care.
- Elevates practice by incorporating innovations.
- Has excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Joins professional associations, advocacy groups, and other activities to improve healthcare.
Quality Competencies
Quality care, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the degree to which health services increase the desired health outcomes consistent with professional knowledge and standards. Quality competencies focus on understanding how to access and use information databases and how to critically evaluate research findings. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The quality core competencies include the following:
- Applies the best and most contemporary research findings to clinical practice.
- Considers the complex relationships between cost, safety, access, and quality in healthcare delivery.
- Assesses the effects of organizational structures, financial management, policy, and other factors on healthcare.
- Offers feedback in peer reviews to “promote a culture of excellence.”
- Tailors care to each practice situation and uses interventions as necessary.
Practice Inquiry Competencies
Practice inquiry competencies focus on translational research, i.e., taking academic research and applying it to the clinical setting. These competencies ensure that nurse practitioner students understand how to apply research to improve their patients’ health outcomes. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The practice inquiry core competencies include the following:
- Translates new knowledge into practice through leadership.
- Uses clinical experiences to inform practice and improve patient outcomes.
- Applies investigative abilities in a clinical setting to improve healthcare.
- Facilitates practice inquiry, both individually and in partnerships.
- Transmits knowledge from inquiry to others.
- Thinks critically about the individual applications of clinical guidelines.
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Technology and Information Literacy Competencies
Information literacy, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the use of digital technology, communications tools, and/or networks to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and effectively communicate information. The goal of these competencies is to teach nurse practitioner students how to use available technology to enhance the safety and health outcomes of their patients. To achieve these objectives, NP schools may require students to take an informatics course. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The technology and information literacy core competencies include the following:
- Uses appropriate technology to manage information.
- Translates health information for various users.
- Helps patients and caregivers understand conditions and treatments.
- Motivates patients and caregivers to make positive changes.
- Excels at complex decision-making.
- Informs the design of effective clinical information systems.
- Facilitates health information technologies which allow for care evaluation.
Policy Competencies
Health policy, as defined by the NONPF, refers to the set of decisions pertaining to health, which influence health resource allocation. These can be made at organizational, local, state, national, and global levels. These competencies teach nurse practitioner students how to influence legislation to improve health issues and social problems like poverty, literacy, and violence. Students may be required to take a specific health policy or healthcare economics course in order to achieve these competencies. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The policy core competencies include the following:
- Understands the interdependence of clinical practice and policy.
- Promotes ethical approaches to improving access, cost, and quality.
- Pays thought to policy’s context (e.g., legal, social, etc).
- Assists in creating health policy.
- Examines cross-disciplinary impact of policy.
- Analyzes influence of globalization on healthcare policy.
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
American Nurses Credentialing Center. (n.d.). Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (across the lifespan) certification (PMHNP-BC).
https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioner/
· Scroll to ANCC Study Aids – Free for sample test questions and study guides to help you prepare for your certification exam. National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
Buppert, C. (2021). Nurse practitioner’s business practice and legal guide (7th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
· Chapter 12, “Lawmaking and Health Policy”
· Chapter 14, “Standards of Care for Nurse Practitioner Practice”
· Chapter 15, “Measuring Nurse Practitioner Performance”
The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. (2017). Nurse practitioner core competencies. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nonpf.org/resource/resmgr/competencies/20170516_NPCoreCompsContentF.pdf National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. (n.d.). National organization of nurse practitioner faculties. https://www.nonpf.org/
Stewart, J. G., & DeNisco, S. M. (2019). Role development for the nurse practitioner (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
· Chapter 11, “Concepts of the Professional”
· Chapter 12, “Health Policy and the Nurse Practitioner”
· Chapter 14, “Mentoring” National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
Zakhari, R. (2021). The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification review manual. Springer Publishing Company.
· Chapter 1, “Preparing to Pass the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam” (for review as needed)
· Chapter 16, “Practice Test” National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Competencies
Also check: Developing A Health Advocacy