How to develop a competency-based head nurse orientation program.

The ability to effectively and efficiently develop competent head nurses is a major challenge in today's health care environment. Memorial Hospital of South Bend, IN, a 526-bed tertiary care facility, faced this challenge. As a result, a program was developed that reduced the learning time of newly appointed head nurses. Mentoring and hands-on practical learning strategies were used. This article describes (1) the reasons for developing a competency-based head nurse orientation program, (2) the steps necessary for its implementation, (3) the benefits of such a program, and (4) the results of the program at Memorial Hospital.