title: The competencies of Registered Nurses working in care homes: a modified Delphi study.
abstract: registered Nurses (RNs) working in UK care homes receive most of their training in acute hospitals. At present the role of care home nursing is underdeveloped and it is seen as a low status career. We describe here research to define core competencies for RNs working in UK care homes.
  
  
  
  a two-stage process was adopted. A systematic literature review and focus groups with stakeholders provided an initial list of competencies. The competency list was modified over three rounds of a Delphi process with a multi-disciplinary expert panel of 28 members.
  
  
  
  twenty-two competencies entered the consensus process, all competencies were amended and six split. Thirty-one competencies were scored in round two, eight were agreed as essential, one competency was split into two. Twenty-four competencies were submitted for scoring in round three. In total, 22 competencies were agreed as essential for RNs working in care homes. A further 10 competencies did not reach consensus.
  
  
  
  the output of this study is an expert-consensus list of competencies for RNs working in care homes. This would be a firm basis on which to build a curriculum for this staff group.
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, Division of Psychiatry & Applied Psychology, Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, Nottingham , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Miriam Ruth
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Stanyon
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing, Queens Medical Centre Medical School Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah Elizabeth
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.affiliation: Wren Hall Nursing Home, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Astle
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, Yang Fujia Building Jubilee Campus Wollaton Road, Nottingham NG81BB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine, Medical School, Royal Derby Hospital Uttoxeter Road, Derby DE22 3DT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Adam Lee
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D002322:Career Mobility; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D032921:Consensus; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009726:Nurses / Q000592:standards*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards*; D000073597:Stakeholder Participation; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Care homes; Competencies; Nursing; Older people