Identification of the core competencies of board of nursing investigators.

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to establish an evidence-based tool that could be used in the recruitment, training, and evaluation of investigative staff. Core competencies for board of nursing investigators are the knowledge, skills, and abilities that one must have to be a competent professional in the process of conducting investigations in the regulatory arena. To identify core knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for board of nursing investigators and the development of a tool that may be used for the recruitment and hiring of well-qualified candidates, orientation and training, and performance evaluation of board of nursing investigators, a series of studies on the core competences for board of nursing investigators was conducted. The values and usefulness of these competencies are directly related to performance measurement and outcomes. The tool identified 4 primary categories of core competencies: communication/interpersonal skills, behavioral traits/professional conduct, knowledge and application of regulatory statutes and rules, and knowledge and application of investigative techniques and processes. It is the researchers' intent that by establishing a uniform competency assessment tool for board investigators, the setting of standards can then be defined, and ultimately, an investigator training program can be developed and best practices will be identified in this segment of regulation.