Determining affective workplace competencies for associate degree nurses

摘要

Affective competencies are important in the workplace, in education, and in nursing practice. However, they have not been well-defined for use in nursing programs, although nursing employers have certain broad expectations. This study involved the determination of affective workplace competencies for associate degree nurses.;The purpose of the study was to formulate an affective checklist to improve the planning, delivery, and evaluation of affective content in associate degree nursing programs. The product of the study was an affective checklist developed by associate degree nursing faculty and senior nursing students. The checklist was reviewed for congruence by nursing faculty and nursing managers from area hospitals, which has supplied the performance appraisals from which the affective competencies were abstracted.;The sample for the study consisted of 26 nursing faculty that teach at the area technical/community college, 16 senior nursing students who would graduate in two months, and 13 nurse managers from the five primary employers of associate degree nurses. The research design involved several sequential surveys of samples of the population.;The researcher was interested in using nursing faculty, nursing students, and nursing employers to arrive at a shared definition of affective competencies which could be useful to students trying to achieve the competencies, faculty trying to teach and assess them, and employers expecting graduates with achieved competencies. The final affective checklist that was developed revealed much general agreement between nursing educators and employers about the operational and detailed definition of affective competencies to be attained by associate degree nurses. The fact that there is some difference in perception between educators and employers indicates that there is a need to continue the dialogue for a shared view of learning.