Development of a Nursing Competency Scale according to a Clinical Ladder System for Intensive Care Nurses.

Purpose: This study was done to develop a nursing competency scale according to a clinical ladder system for intensive care nurses. Methods: Index of content validation was done by 20 clinical experts and 80 nurses in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Results: The process and results of study are as follows. First, 12 nursing competencies were used in the establishment of the clinical ladder system (Jang, 2000). Second, the first draft of the competency lists was developed. It was based on the clinical nurses' behavioral indicators of nursing competency by Jang (2000), and was modified and supplemented through various literature reviews including competency standards for specialist intensive care nurses in Australia and consultation with 2 clinical nurses with over 10 years experience in the ICU. Third, the draft was examined by 20 clinical experts for content validity. Finally, the final draft was analysed using clinical validity where 20 nurses in each ladder participated. The final number of items was fixed at 309. Conclusion: The tool represents expected nursing competency of nurses working in ICU. Intensive care nurses can recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and identify directions for their professional growth by analysing results of their competency evaluation using this tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]