Professional Competence

The school community has a right to expect school nurses to demonstrate professional competence throughout their careers. While individual school nurses are responsible and accountable for their professional competence, the nursing profession, regulatory agencies, employers, nursing organizations and credentialing and certification agencies also share responsibility for conditions that promote competence.

Several terms and concepts are central to the discussion of the ongoing demonstration of competence:

· An individual who demonstrates competence is performing at an expected level.

· A competency is an expected level of performance that integrates knowledge, skills, abilities and judgment.

· The integration of knowledge, skills, abilities and judgment occurs in formal, informal, and reflective learning experiences.

· Knowledge encompasses critical thinking, understanding of science and humanities, use of professional standards of practice and insights gained from context, practical experiences, personal capabilities, and leadership performance.

· Skills include psychomotor, communication, interpersonal and diagnostic skills.

· Ability is the capacity to act effectively. It requires listening, integrity, knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses, positive self-regard, emotional intelligence, and openness to feedback.

· Judgment includes critical thinking, problem-solving, ethical reasoning, and decision-making.