Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114008

Susan M. Swider, PhD, RN¹, Pamela Levin, PhD, RN², Sarah H. Ailey, PhD, RN³, Susan Breakwell, ND RN³, Julia Muennich Cowell, PhD, RNC, FAAN³, Diane B. McNaughton, PhD, RN⁴, and Marilyn E. O'Rourke, MSN RN⁵. (1) Department of Community and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Rush University, 600 S. Paulina, Rm. 1080, Chicago, IL 60612, 312 942-8826, susan_m_swider@rush.edu, (2) Dept. of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University Medical Center, 600 S. Paulina St., Suite 1080, Chicago, IL 60612, (3) College of Nursing, Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University, 600 S. Paulina Street, 1080 AAC, Chicago, IL 60612, (4) Department of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, 600 S. Paulina Street, Suite 1080, Chicago, IL 60612, (5) Community and Mental Health Nursing, Rush University College of Nursing, 600 S. Paulina, Chicago, IL 60612

An Evidence Based Approach to public health requires that practitioners are prepared with the relevant skills, attitudes and knowledge. Competency based education is needed to demonstrate that students have such preparation. The Quad Council competencies (2003)are based on the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice (COL) “Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals” and developed to be applied at two levels of public health nursing practice: the staff nurse/generalist role and the manager/specialist/consultant role. The Advanced Practice Public Health Nurse program (MSN) curriculum described in this presentation is based on the competencies for the specialist role. These competencies include: Analytic Assessment Skills; Policy Development/Program Planning Skills; Communication Skills; Cultural Competency Skills; Community Dimensions of Practice Skills; Basic Public Health Sciences Skills; Financial Planning and Management Skills; and Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills. This presentation illustrates how these competencies are integrated throughout the public health nursing graduate curriculum at varying levels, guiding students to achieve proficiency in each competency by the end of the program. Measurement of each competency will be discussed, and examples provided. Additionally, the process used for validating competencies in the curriculum will be presented. Advanced Practice Public Health Nurses educated via this competency based approach will be prepared to sit for national certification as a CNS in Public/Community Health, and to assume leadership roles in public health nursing.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this sessions, attendees will be able to

• Describe strategies for addressing the quad council competencies for use in graduate nursing education;
• Understand the difference in levels of mastery across competencies at the Specialist level; and
• Assess the relevance and appropriateness of clinical practicum experiences in Public Health Nursing for meeting the Quad Council competencies

Keywords: Competency, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.