title: Developing emergency nursing competence.
abstract: Developing and maintaining the competence emergency nurses need is an important function of emergency clinical nurse specialists (CNS), educators, and other members of the emergency department (ED) leadership team. A thorough orientation is the first and most important step in developing the competence of emergency nurses. After orientation, the challenge is to maintain currency of practice in the face of incessant change such as new medications, new equipment, and new therapies in emergency care. This article focuses on the orientation of emergency nurses. A related article in this issue addresses assessment of competency.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756-0001, USA. jean.proehl@hitchcock.org.
authors.forename: Jean A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Proehl
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards / Q000600:supply & distribution; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000458:organization & administration; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D014481:United States