Critique and teach. Don't treat competency testing as a rubber-
stamp process. If a staff member is deficient in the skills needed
to start IVs efficiently and safely, arrange for her to receive extra train-
ing from a skilled colleague until she gets up to speed and feels com-
fortable with the task.
Rising stakes
Testing staff competencies has always been important, but the stakes
are rising. A variety of accrediting organizations are calling for
increased accountability for the level of care provided in surgical
facilities. In addition, CMS is shifting its payment model from fee-for-
service reimbursement to paying for quality outcomes. That means
the competency of any one person working in your facility can have a
significant impact on your organization's reputation and finances.
OSM
Ms. Geier (ann.geier@sourcemed.net), a longtime surgery center administrator, is
the chief nursing officer at Source Medical. She thanks James Stobinski, PhD, RN,
CNOR, for this contributions to this article.
5
J U l y 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 2 5
you don't have to reinvent the wheel in order
to test your staff's competencies. Here are
some online resources you can access for
tool-kits and testing modules.
— Ann Geier, MS, RN, CNOR, CASC
ONLINE HELP
Competency Testing Resources
osmag.net/9HVgCd AORN's Perioperative Job Descriptions
and Competency Evaluation Tools
osmag.net/qHtN2K HealthStream's Competency Center
osmag.net/sd2TNY Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Situation,
Background, Assessment and Recommendation
osmag.net/2tRVcV Competency and Credentialing Institute
