The role of physical design and informal communication

Competency Category Definitions
1. Unit Rounds
o Novice – answers questions about the patient
o Expert – explains patients’ medical needs and diagnoses, nursing
care relating to discharge; able to identify other disciplines that need
to be consulted prior to patient discharge; able to follow up on
patient care needs that are identified on rounds; able to facilitate
rounds without need for prompting
2. Report and Handoff
o Novice – repeats what was heard at the beginning of own shift
during handoff and states any major changes
o Expert – doesn’t merely repeat info but also identifies key issues
that need further assessment or follow up
3. Medications
o Novice – gives medications on time, but slow; needs to be
prompted to check for drug interactions
o Expert – administers medication on time; checks for negative
reactions/drug interactions without prompting; checks for
appropriateness of a drug based on patient condition; educates
patient on self-administration of medication; questions physician or
pharmacy if medication is thought to be inappropriate in type or
amount
4. Computer: Patient Education
o Novice – accesses Care Notes (web-based patient education
program) and searches for a topic
o Expert – proactively gathers info for patients; uses discretion
regarding the type and form of information given based on individual
patient needs and competencies.
5. Computer: Labs and Test Results
o Novice – accesses Net Access, looks at labs and write down info
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