title: The Federal Nursing Service Award. Individual readiness in nursing.
abstract: Individual readiness is critical for effective nursing in deployed environments. Although readiness is routinely tracked and reported, a study of its complexity among federal nurses was needed. An inductive research approach clarified the concept of individual readiness. Representing a broad range of deployment experience, focus group members developed a definition of the concept and identified six components: clinical competency; operational competency; survival skills; personal/psychosocial/physical readiness; leadership and administrative support; and group integration and identification. The findings form an overdue conceptual basis for future measurement of this important dimension of federal nursing.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Medical Command, MCHO-CL, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reineck
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D007857:Leadership; D008888:Military Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011361:Professional Competence; D012933:Social Identification