Direct vs. Non-Direct Medical Competencies.

¶ … Competencies

The author of this report is asked to compare and core competencies of a number of direct and indirect nursing roles. Titles involved include nurse administrator and nurse informatics when speaking of non-direct roles. Direct care provider roles include nurse educator, nurse practitioner (in a general practice, gerontology or family health situation) and so forth. There is also the list of AACN for Nurse Informatics, Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner competencies, AONE for Nurse Administrators and executives, family nurse practitioner competencies, NLN for nurse educators, and NONFP-NP Core Competencies and Content. Finally, there is the AANP Association for Nurse Practitioners.

Analysis

When it comes to core competencies for a nurse practitioner, which is a direct role, they are as follow. Each one selected will be followed by a comment about the direct and indirect implications:

Critically analyze data and evidence for improving advanced nursing practice

This is something both a direct role and non-direct role would do.

Translates research and other forms of knowledge to improve practice processes and outcomes

A direct person would be reporting evidence and doing the procedures. An indirect person would be researching what happens with the direct approaches

Uses best available evidence to continuously improve quality of clinical practice

This is something that both direct and indirect people are doing to some degree. The difference is that one person looks and assesses from afar and the other person is direct.

Applies clinical investigative skills to improve health outcomes

This is something a direct person (like a nurse practitioner) would do…much more so than any indirect person

Nurse Administrator

When looking at core competencies for nurse administrators, there are definitely some similarities but there are also some differences

Understanding of healthcare financing

This is something a direct care person would probably not need to know -- although they might

Strategic management

This is getting close to what a direct person would know but it would be much more up the alley of a nurse administrator or other indirect professional

Understanding of evidence-based practice

This is something that direct and indirect alike would use and it is very similar to the investigative skills item mentioned above

Shared Decision-Making

The line above about improving clinical practice within the direct care details about nurse practitioners is very close to what is being described here.

Here are a good list of items that would be more up the alley of administrators and other non-direct professionals:

Understanding of healthcare financing (as mentioned before)

Human resource management and development

Strategic management (as mentioned before)

Marekting

Information management and technology

Healthcare information technology person would be involved with this…but those are also going to be indirect people)

Foundational thinking skills

Not really needed for a direct care person)