As you're reading, remember that these examples of outcome competencies and of behavior that might be seen in the clinical setting are listed as reference for you and the student. They are not all inclusive, and many other behaviors would also be possible. We hope that these examples will stimulate ideas of what might work in your clinical setting.
The competencies for the Capstone course are:
The student is a critical thinker who demonstrates intellectual engagement and uses evidence as a basis for clinical reasoning and decision-making.
The student evaluates decisions through logical organization.
The student evaluates decisions through validation of information.
The student evaluates decisions through critical examination of assumptions underlying the processing of information.
The student evaluates decisions through analysis of the conclusions drawn from the information (evaluation).
The student presents reasoned arguments to support stated views (explanation).
The student applies previous/current knowledge to new contexts and situations (interpretation and analysis).
Clinical Examples
The student provides rationale for decisions.
The student prioritizes care appropriately.
The student delegates care appropriately.
The student assists patients to set up home medication schedules.
The student is a culturally sensitive individual who provides holistic individual, family, community, and population-centered nursing care.
The student integrates the cultural beliefs, values, and practices of individuals when providing nursing care.
The student integrates the cultural beliefs, values and practices of families when providing nursing care.
Clinical Examples
The student allows family members to help with the care of the patient when the patient’s cultural background includes such practices.
The student seeks out interpreter when necessary.
The student is non-judgmental and objective in working with all patients and families.
The student identifies specific cultural needs of the patient related to health care and includes in plan of care.
The student is a knowledgeable care coordinator who facilitates access to resources across the continuum of healthcare environments in order to meet the evolving healthcare needs of individuals, families, communities, and populations.
The student enables individuals, families, and/ or communities to access appropriate resources to meet identified health care needs.
The student works with the interprofessional team in planning for care and needed patient resources.
Clinical Examples
The student assists a patient and their family in planning schedule to attend diabetic classes.
The student refers client/family to social worker or home care as needed.
The student contacts various departments in the hospital in planning for patient discharge.
The student assists patients/families in identifying needed resources in their community.
The student is an individual who understands and considers the impact of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments on care delivery.
The student demonstrates knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments.
The student advocates for policy changes that promote health for individuals, families, and communities.
The student participates in the profession and practice of nursing with a global perspective.
The student examines processes that shape health policies at local and state levels.
Clinical Examples
Examines impact of changes in federal reimbursements for skilled service on care providers.
Incorporates evidence-based practice to propose changes in unit/agency approved policies and procedures to improve client care.
Incorporates statutory rules and regulations pertinent to nursing into individual nursing practice.
Makes decisions based on an analysis of cost and quality care outcome.
Delegates responsibilities in a manner consistent with the Nurse Practice Act to those individuals who are best qualified to complete them.
The student is an individual who embodies the professional identity of the nurse and who translates the inherent values of the nursing profession into the ethical and legal practice of nursing.
The student articulates ethical and legal standards relating to healthcare dilemmas.
The student enables individuals to make informed healthcare decisions that respect their beliefs, values, and rights.
The student uses a decision model to resolve ethical dilemmas.
The student advocates for individuals and families by informing them of their legal and ethical rights.
The student advocates for communities by informing them of their legal and ethical rights.
The student incorporates professional standards pertinent to nursing into individual nursing practice.
The student demonstrates accountability and responsibility for nursing judgements and actions.
Clinical Examples
The student examines a patient situation using ethical/legal standards.
The student advocates for patients while they make choices regarding their health care.
The student delegates care to others but retains accountability for the delegated tasks.
The student exhibits professional behaviors that foster a positive public image of nursing, including the following:
Uses appropriate conflict management to de-escalate conflict situations.
Arrives on time and ready to begin shift.
Has minimal personal interruptions.
Organizes time to allow for lunch and break.
Returns promptly from lunch/breaks.
Maintains confidentiality.
The student is an effective communicator who collaborates with interprofessional team member, patients, and their support systems for improved health outcomes.
The student communicates clearly and effectively with individuals and families for the purpose of positively affecting care outcomes.
The student communicates clearly and effectively with communities for the purpose of positively affecting care outcomes.
The student communicates clearly and effectively with other healthcare providers for the purpose of positively affecting care outcomes.
The student incorporates therapeutic interpersonal communication techniques in client-system interactions.
The student shares information and ideas in various professional and public arenas
Clinical Examples
Effectively communicates complex patient care needs to other members of healthcare team.
Effectively communicates with patients and their families.
The student is a competent care provider who is prepared to practice to the full capacity of the professional nurse role in diverse healthcare environments.
The student demonstrates competent care of the client(s) assigned and becomes increasingly more independent in providing care.
The student is self-directed and seeks to find resources to assist her in providing care as needed.
Clinical Examples
Provides safe, effective, compassionate care to promote the health of individuals, families, and communities.
Effectively assesses clients and clinical situations.
Prioritizes effectively and, as the client or clinical situation changes, can appropriately reassess and reprioritize to make needed changes in plan of care.
Collaborates effectively with the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Individualizes care as needed.
Implements teaching–learning processes that promote health and prevent illness of individuals, families, and communities.
Intervenes with individuals, families, and communities identified as at risk for developing health problems.
Consults appropriately with expert resources in the provision of nursing care.
Takes responsibility for increasing professional skills and knowledge base.
Evaluates outcomes of health care.
Safely performs client handoffs.
The student is an accountable leader and manager who applies principles of systems and organizational processes and balances resources to promote quality care and patient safety.
The student is an effective leader in providing healthcare to individuals, families and communities.
The student demonstrates leadership skills when working with others in the clinical agency.
Clinical Examples
Takes initiative in problem solving clinical issues.
Always demonstrates professionalism, a positive attitude, and a willingness to assist others.
Attentive to the needs of co-workers and develops awareness to the culture of the clinical area to understand how the work is done, before making assumptions about what should be changed.
Assumes responsibility for evaluating the actions of others working under their direction.
Assures the individual being delegated a task has the skills and resources needed to accomplished the task.
Provides feedback to others, both complimentary and constructive. If something goes wrong, problem solves as a team, without placing blame.
Expresses gratitude for having others as part of team.
The student is an individual who embraces and employs innovations in information management and technology in the delivery of quality patient care.
The student uses technology to document and research client care.
The student has knowledge of the information services department in the clinical agency and knows how to access for assistance with technology.
The student uses information technology for facilitating communication to the interdisciplinary team, as appropriate in the clinical agency.
Clinical Examples
Documents client care accurately and appropriately in a timely manner.
Reviews electronic documents to access individual client information.
Uses available technology to access information for providing care.
Accesses nursing care policies and procedures as needed prior to providing nursing care.
Demonstrates knowledge of and commitment to Interprofessional Values and Ethics.
Demonstrates adherence to regulatory policies and procedures for their own profession.
Demonstrates competence in one’s own professional within the context of IP care.
Demonstrates provision of care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient/client preferences, needs and values.
Ensures patient/client values guide all clinical decisions.
Demonstrates knowledge of and integration of interprofessional team members’ Roles and Responsibilities.
Uses unique and complementary abilities of all members of the team to optimize health and patient care.
Forges interdependent relationships with other professions within and outside of the health system to improve care and advance learning.
Facilitates unique and complementary abilities of all members of the team to optimize health and provision of care.
Demonstrates one’s limitations in skills, knowledge, and abilities.
Demonstrates knowledge of and integration of Interprofessional Communication Skills.
Demonstrates respectful communication, and respect for each member of the team, including the patient and family.
Facilitates appropriate communication tools and techniques within a given situation, crucial conversation or conflict.
Demonstrates effective communication attending to individual and team needs within a given situation.
Facilitates one’s knowledge and opinions with patients/clients, families, community members and health team members in a form that is understandable, avoiding discipline-specific terminology when possible.
Demonstrates knowledge of and integration of practice to support effective Interprofessional Teams and Teamwork.
Demonstrates effective teamwork skills.
Facilitates leadership practices that support collaboration and teamwork.
Reflects on self-and team practices and develops strategies to enhance teamwork.
Reflects on self-and team practices and develops strategies to improve care outcomes.
Facilitates collaboration that supports reconciliation of differing priorities that impact care and/or service outcomes.
