title: Baseline Indicators and Implementation Strategies in a Statewide Correctional Nurse Competencies Program: Mid-Year Report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This 3-year, public-academic workforce development project aimed to establish indicators for quality correctional nursing care to empirically test the translation of correctional nursing standards into practical and applied competencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Approaches to document indicators and achieve implementation of a correctional nurse competency system include (a) knowledge transfer and exchange, (b) system mapping, (c) adherence to implementation plan and strategy, and (d) practice-based action research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Indicators were established. Twenty-five percent (n = 111) of nurses maintained clinical credentials beyond the basic requirements; 86% (n = 381) of nurses received continuing nursing education certificates, 98% (n = 434) of nurses were satisfied with the program, and 43% (n = 9,052) of inmate/patients were satisfied with clinical care. Quality ratings of program educators averaged 4.79 on a 5-point scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Innovation is supported by adding continuous improvement components to the implementation of a correctional nurse competency system effort. Team members' consensus decision making enabled them to apply their domain-specific knowledge to assess the success of the implementation strategy.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reagan
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weiskopf
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panosky
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Desiree
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diaz
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000592:standards*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000592:standards*; D013192:Staff Development / Q000458:organization & administration*