Development of an instrument to determine competencies of postgraduate ICU nurses in Cyprus.
OBJECTIVE
The study sought to explore the expected competencies for postgraduate intensive care unit nurses aiming to develop a future competency-based curriculum. The aim of this part of the study is to develop a new instrument to determine what competencies are expected of postgraduate critical care nurses.


BACKGROUND
Despite existing competency frameworks that emerged from research in the area of critical care, globally and within countries there is diversity and an ongoing debate regarding level of critical care education, outcomes and competencies acquired.


METHODS
A combination of qualitative and quantitative approach was used. In first stage (qualitative), focus groups and interviews were used aiming to explore critical care nurses views concerning expected competencies of postgraduate critical care nurses. In second stage (quantitative), an 81 items Likert scale questionnaire, which was designed based on qualitative data and literature, was distributed among critical care nurses in Cyprus (n: 234, response rate 66%) aiming to receive feedback from clinical nurses and validate the instrument. Psychometric approaches such as internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's α and construct validity were used to validate the instrument.


RESULTS
The final questionnaire includes 72 items and has a four-dimensional structure. The four dimensions are (1) leadership/management and professional development, (2) decision-making and management of emergencies, (3) provision of care and professional practice and (4) ethical practice. All factors were highly reliable, with Cronbach's α ranging from 0·895 to 0·974.


CONCLUSIONS
A new instrument to determine what competencies are expected of postgraduate critical care nurses was generated from this study. A new framework of competencies is grounded on this study that addresses the holistic, individualized and ethically informed quality care of critically ill and may inform educational strategies.


CONCLUSIONS
Critical care nurses competencies need to be determined for quality care and speciality development.
Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, 11 Gregory Afxentiou Street, Paliometocho, Nicosia, Cyprus. maria.hadjibalassi@cut.ac.cy
Maria
M
Hadjibalassi
Evridiki
E
Papastavrou
Ekaterini
E
Lambrinou
Haritini
H
Tsangari
Evdokia
E
Athini
Evanthia
E
Georgiou
Elisavet
E
Nicolaou
Anastasios
A
Merkouris
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D003535:Cyprus; D003657:Decision Making; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires