As more and more develops take place in the nursing profession, the need to identify competency and its role in maintaining optimal health care practices is increasingly demanded and appreciated. Not only is the government and the hospital management responsible for maintaining competency, but also the nursing staff at the team level as well as the professional level are responsible to maintain the standards. The outlines of competencies have been extensively reviewed and formulated, with the result that the new policies are better structured on the health care system.



The role of the nurse has now become a fundamental part in providing health care to the patients around the world. And while the nurses have come a long way in establishing themselves and their worth, there are still many issues that are still needed to be addressed. One of the issues that have become the centre theme in nursing care selection criteria is the ?competency? of a nurse. Many areas come under the umbrella of the word competency, and this issue comprises of ethical and moral, professional and legal issues. It is hoped that by increasing the competency level of a nurse, more improved health care outcomes can be gained.

Competency in nursing is essentially the attainment of a state where one's clinical knowledge and skills are recognised and developed so as to provide the maximum care to the patients. Not only does it requires the essential motivation on the nurse's part, but also requires a professional as well as an academic endeavor in the nurse. This is aimed so that the nurse not only is able to provide adequate nursing care to her patients or clients, but continues to do so by improving her skills via various post graduation studies and professional development programs. (Competency Based Practice, 2006)

The point to consider is that the competency of a nurse is judged not on the basis of his or her theoretical performance, but on the practical clinical one while caring for his or her patients. This would require that the nurse be able to handle a variety of clinical situations with ease, and be able make correct decisions in order to provide the most proper treatment for the patient. Competency naturally therefore has a very far reaching influence in the nursing as well as the health care systems. (Competency Based Practice, 2006)

To promote the concept in the United Kingdom, many guides have been introduced so that the nurses are better able to identify competency levels in themselves. Although with increased research in the area many forms of guides have been made available, the basic rules remain the same. Hicks (2002) aptly describes them as follows. ?being patient centered, doing evidence based practice, providing equality, diversity and rights, able to handle specific interventions and practice expertise, improving patient care and effectiveness, developing individual and team effectiveness as well as a promoting a culture of effectiveness along with self and others, facilitating individual, group and team learning, clinical leadership and management in practice, managing settings and the service, research and evaluation in practice, and providing expert and process consultancy.? (Debbie Hicks, 2002)

Any profession related to health care requires utmost dedication and a professional attitude at all times. In the same way, when a nurse enters into the clinical practice scenario, he or she automatically makes a commitment to the society as well as themselves to hold up to the professional requirements of the nursing care. In doing so, he or she also make the commitment to maintain their professionalism through constant learning and reevaluations. This dedication is mostly a personal conviction, but it is also required that the employer of the nurse make sure that his or her nursing staff is up to the standard. (British Dermatological Nursing Group, 2002)

The nurse therefore becomes responsible for all the duties or activities he or she carries out, and in turn accepts accountability for all the events that take place regarding the patient's health while under his or her shift or care. There are many suggestions made in the guidelines to provide nurses an idea of proper professional attitude. It is important that the nurse be present for the patient's help or assistance when the patient is in need. This presence can vary according to the severity of the patient's condition, for example, the nurse will be required to be more observant and vigilant in critical care cases. In cases where the patient can not make decisions for him or her self, it becomes the nurse's responsibility to ensure the heath of the patient.