title: Prioritizing competencies: increasing nurse satisfaction with competency testing.
abstract: During this period of low patient census, downsizing, and reorganization, nurses already complain they do not feel respected. Expanding competency evaluations only adds to this feeling that others do not respect the professional nurse. These authors describe strategies to use with a competency fair that decrease this feeling that nurses are being "checked on" and increase nurse satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dirks
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*