FINALS

Core Competencies Under the Eleven Key of Responsibility of Nursing

The nursing industry has established eleven key areas of responsibility that provide a framework for unifying
nursing education, practice and regulation. This comprehensive list of key areas and core competencies within
each key area furnishes the industry with a standardized measure that is used in all aspects of the nursing
profession.

LEGAL BASES

Article 3 Sec.9 (c) of R.A. 9173/ “Philippine Nursing Act 2002”

Board shall monitor & enforce quality standards of nursing practice necessary to ensure the maintenance of
efficient, ethical and technical, moral and professional standards in the practice of nursing taking into account
the health needs of the nation.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CORE COMPETENCY STANDARDS

- Unifying framework for nursing practice, education, regulation
- Guide in nursing curriculum development
- Framework in developing test syllabus for nursing profession entrants
- Tool for nurses’ performance evaluation
- Basis for advanced nursing practice, specialization
- Framework for developing nursing training curriculum
- Public protection from incompetent practitioners
- Yardstick for unethical, unprofessional nursing practice

SAFETY AND QUALITY

o The first key area of nursing responsibility focuses on providing nursing care that is safe and of high quality.
Under this key area, core competencies include demonstrating knowledge about the health status and illness
of a patient; making appropriate decisions when caring for patients and their families; and ensuring patient
safety, privacy and comfort. Competencies also include setting appropriate priorities in patient care, working
with the medical team to ensure stability of care, effectively administering medications and other treatment
modalities and performing assessments and nursing services against a background of established nursing
guidelines. The nurse also works with the medical team and patient's family to develop a plan of care.
Identifying the goals of care and evaluating progress toward those goals are also core competencies within
this key area.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Demonstrate knowledge based on health/illness status of individual/ groups

Indicators :
○ Identifies health needs of patients/groups
○ Explains patient/group status

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Provides sound decision making in care of individual/groups considering their beliefs, values

Indicators :
○ Problem identification
○ Data gathering related to problem
○ Data analysis
○ Selection appropriate action
○ Monitor progress of action taken

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Promotes patient safety and comfort

Indicators :
○ Performs age-specific safety measures and comfort measure in all aspects of patient care

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4:
Priority setting in nursing care based on patients’ needs

Indicators :
○ Identifies priority needs of patients
 ○ Analysis of patients’ needs
○ Determine appropriate nursing care to be provided

5. CORE COMPETENCY 5:
Ensures continuity of care

Indicators :
○ Refers identified problems to appropriate individuals/ agencies
○ Establish means of providing continuous patient care

6. CORE COMPETENCY 6:
Administers medications and other health therapeutics

Indicators :
○ Conforms to the 10 golden rules in medication administration and health therapeutics

7. CORE COMPETENCY 7:
Utilizes nursing process as framework for nursing. Performs comprehensive, systematic nursing
assessment

Indicators :
○ Obtains consent
○ Complete appropriate assessment forms
○ Performs effective assessment techniques
○ Obtains comprehensive client information
○ Maintains privacy and confidentiality
○ Identifies health needs

8. CORE COMPETENCY 8:
Formulates care plan in collaboration with patients, other health team members

Indicators :
○ Includes patients, family in care planning
○ States expected outcomes in nursing interventions
○ Develops comprehensive patient care plan
○ Accomplishes patient centered discharge plan

9. CORE COMPETENCY 9:
Implements NCP to achieve identified outcomes

Indicators :
○ Explain interventions to patient, family before carrying them out
○ Implement safe, comfortable nursing interventions
○ Acts according to client’s health conditions, needs
○ Performs nursing interventions effectively and in timely manner

10. CORE COMPETENCY 10:

Implements NCP progress toward expected outcomes

Indicators :
○ Monitors effectiveness of nursing interventions
○ Revises care plan PRN

11. CORE COMPETENCY 11:

Responds to urgency of patient’s condition

Indicators :
○ Identifies sudden changes in patient’s health conditions
○ Implements immediate, appropriate interventions

RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

o The next key area is the management of resources and environment. Core competencies in this area include
identifying tasks that need to be completed, developing financially effective programs, ensuring that
equipment performs adequately and maintaining safety in the environment.
 1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Organizes workload to facilitate patient care

Indicators:
○ Identifies task or activities that need to be accomplished
○ Plans the performance of task or activities based on priority
○ Finishes work assignment on time

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Utilizes resources to support patient care

Indicators:
○ Determines the resources needed to deliver patient care
○ Control the use of equipment

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Ensures the functioning of resources

Indicators:
○ Check proper functioning of the equipment
○ Refers Malfunctioning equipment to appropriate unit

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4:
Check the Proper functioning of the Equipment

Indicators:
○ Determines the task and procedures that can be safely assigned to the other members of the team
○ Verifies the competence of the staff prior to delegating tasks

5. CORE COMPETENCY 5:
Maintains safe Environment

Indicators:
○ Observe proper disposal of waste
○ Adheres to policies, procedures and protocols on prevention and control of infection
○ Defines steps to follow incase of fire , earthquake and other emergency situation

HEALTH EDUCATION

o Educational core competencies include assessing the educational needs of the patient and family, developing
and implementing health education plans and learning materials and evaluating the outcome of education
administered.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Assesses the learning needs of the patient and the family

Indicators:
○ Obtains learning information through interview, observation and validation
○ Defines relevant information
○ Completes assessment records appropriately
○ Identify priority needs

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Develops Health Education plan based on assessed and anticipated needs.

Indicators:
○ Considers nature of the learner in relation to social, cultural, political, economic, educational, and
religious factor

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Develops learning material for health education

Indicators:
○ Involves the patient, family and significant others and other resources
○ Formulates a comprehensive health educational plan with the following components , objectives,
 content and time allotment
○ Teaching-learning resources and evaluation parameters
○ Provides for feedback to finalize plan

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4:
Implements the health Education Plan

Indicators:
○ Provides for conducive learning situation in terms of timer and place
○ Considers client and family preparedness○ Utilize appropriate strategies
○ Provides reassuring presence through active listening, touch and facial expression and gestures
○ Monitors client and family’s responses to health education

5. CORE COMPETENCY 5:
Evaluates the outcome of health Education

Indicators:
○ Utilizes evaluation parameters
○ Documents outcome of care
○ Revises health education plan when necessary

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES

o Core competencies in the legal key area include following legally mandated state and federal processes and
procedures, such as obtaining informed consent from patients and adequately documenting all procedures
performed for patients.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Adheres to practices in accordance with the nursing law and other relevant legislation including
contract and informed consent.

Indicators:
○ Fulfill legal requirements in Nursing Practice
○ Holds current professional license
○ Acts in accordance with the terms of contract of employment and other rules and regulation
○ Complies with the required CPE
○ Confirms information given by the doctor for informed consent
○ Secures waiver of responsibility for refusal to undergo treatment or procedures
○ Check the completeness of informed consent and other legal forms

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Adheres to organizational policies and procedures, local and national

Indicators:
○ Articulates the vision and mission of the institution where one belongs
○ Acts in accordance with the established norms and conduct of the institution/ organization

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Document care rendered to patients.

Indicators:
○ Utilizes appropriate patient care records and reports
○ Accomplish accurate documentation in all matters concerning patient care in accordance with the
standard of nursing practice.

ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

o In this key area that concerns morals and ethics, core competencies include respecting the rights of all
individuals and groups, accepting responsibility for individual decisions and adhering to the nurses' national
and international code of ethics.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Respects the rights of individual/ groups

Indicator:
 ○ Renders nursing care consistent with the patient’s bill of rights (ie. confidentiality of information,
privacy, etc.)

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2
Accepts responsibility & accountability for own decisions and actions

Indicators:
○ Meets nursing accountability requirements as embodied in the job description
○ Justifies basis for nursing actions and judgment
○ Protects a positive image of the profession

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3
Adheres to the national and international code of ethics for nurses

Indicators:
○ Adheres to the Code of Ethics for Nurses and abides by its provisions
○ Reports unethical and immoral incidents to proper authorities

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

o The professional development key area includes core competencies of identifying personal needs for education
and pursuing those goals, participating in professional organizations and community activities, presenting a
professional image and positive attitude as well as performing work duties in a professional manner.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1
Identifies own learning needs

Indicators:
○ Verbalizes strengths, weaknesses, limitations.
○ Determines personal and professional goals and aspirations.

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2
Pursues continuing education

Indicators:
○ Participates in formal and non-formal education.
○ Applies learned information for the improvement of care.

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3
Gets involved in professional organizations and civic activities

Indicators:
○ Participates actively in professional, social, civic and religious activities
○ Maintain membership to professional organizations
○ Support activities related to nursing and health issues

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4
Projects a professional image of nurse

Indicators:
○ Demonstrate good manners and right conduct at all times.
○ Dresses appropriately.
○ Demonstrates congruence of words and actions.
○ Behaves appropriately at all times.

5. CORE COMPETENCY 5
Possesses positive attitude towards change and criticism
Indicators:
○ Listens to suggestions and recommendations.
○ Tries new strategies or approaches.
○ Adapts to changes willingly.

6. CORE COMPETENCY 6
Performs function according to professional standards
 Indicators:
○ Assesses own performance against standards of practice.
○ Sets attainable objectives to enhance nursing knowledge and skills.
○ Explains current nursing practices, when situations call for it.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

o In the quality improvement key area, core competencies include identifying areas for improvement,
participating in nursing rounds and audits, staying aware of variances in treatment and recommending
solutions to improve quality.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Gathers data for quality improvement

Indicators:
Demonstrates knowledge of method appropriate for the clinical problems identified
Detects variation in the vital signs of the patient from day to day
Reports necessary elements at the bedside to improve patient stay at hospital
Solicits feedback from patient and significant others regarding care rendered

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Participates in nursing audits and rounds

Indicators:
Contributes relevant information about patient condition as well as unit condition and patient current
reactions
Shares with the team current information regarding particular patients condition
Encourages the patient to speak about what is relevant to his condition
Documents and records all nursing care and actions
Performs daily check of patient records/condition
Completes patients records
Actively contributes relevant information of patients during rounds thru readings and sharing with
others

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Identifies and reports variances

Indicators:
Documents observed variance regarding patient care and submits to appropriate group within 24 hours
Identifies actual and potential variance to patient care
Reports actual and potential variance to patient care
Submits report to appropriate groups within 24 hours

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4:
Recommends solutions to identified problems

Indicators:
Gives appropriate suggestions on corrective and preventive measures
Communicates and discusses with appropriate groups
Gives and objective and accurate reporton what was observed rather than an interpretation of the
event.

RESEARCH

o Core competencies in the research key area include gathering and analyzing research data, sharing results and
applying findings to work functions.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Gathers data using different methodologies

Indicators:
Identifies researchable problems regarding patient care and community health
Identifies appropriate methods of research for a particular patient/community problem
Combines quantitative and qualitative nursing design thru simple explanation on the phenomena
observed
Analyzes data gathered
 2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Recommends actions for implementation

Indicator:
Based on the analysis of data gathered, recommends practical solutions appropriate for the problem

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Disseminates results of research findings

Indicators:
Communicates results of findings to colleagues/patients/family and to others
Endeavors to publish research
Submits research findings to own agencies and others as appropriate

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4:
Applies research findings in nursing practice

Indicators:
Utilizes and findings in research in the provision of nursing care to individuals/groups/communities
Makes use of evidence-based nursing to ameliorate nursing practice

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

o The records management key area includes core competencies of maintaining appropriate documentation
using the appropriate system and staying within legal boundaries in the area of patient privacy.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Maintains accurate and updated documentation of patient care

Indicator:
Completes updated documentation of patient care

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Records outcome of patient care

Indicator:
Utilizes a record system

3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Observes legal imperatives in recording keeping

Indicators:
Observes confidentially and privacy of patient’s records
Maintains an organized system of filing and keeping patient’s records in a designated area
Refrains from releasing records and other information without proper authority

COMMUNICATION

o In this key area, core competencies include establishing communication with the patient and treatment team,
learning to read verbal and nonverbal cues, using visual aids and other resources when necessary, responding
to patient and group needs and effectively using technology to facilitate communication.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Establishes rapport with patients, significant others and members of the health team.

Indicators:
○ Creates trust and confidence
○ Listens attentively to client’s queries and requests
○ Spends time with the client to facilitate conversation that allows client to express concern

2. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Identifies verbal and non-verbal cues

Indicator:
○ Interprets and validates client’s body language and facial expression
 3. CORE COMPETENCY 3:
Utilizes formal and informal channels

Indicator:
○ Makes use of available visual aids

4. CORE COMPETENCY 4:
Responds to needs of individuals, family, group and community

Indicator:
○ Provides re- assurance through therapeutic, touch, warmth and comforting words of encouragement
○ Readily smiles

5. CORE COMPETENCY 5:
Uses appropriate information technology to facilitate communication

Indicator:
○ Utilizes telephone, mobile phone, email and internet, and informatics
○ Identifies a significant other so that follow up care can be obtained
○ Provides “holding” or emergency numbers of services

TEAMWORK

o The teamwork and collaboration key area includes core competencies of establishing beneficial working
relationships with peers and colleagues and communicating care plans with health team members.

1. CORE COMPETENCY 1:
Establishes collaborative relationship with colleagues and other members of the health team

Indicators:
○ Contributes to decision making regarding patients” needs and concerns
○ Participates actively in patients care management including audit
○ Recommends appropriate intervention to improve patient care
○ Respects the role of the other members of the health team
○ Maintains good interpersonal relationships with patients, colleagues and other members of the health
team

I. CORE COMPETENCY 2:
Collaborates plan of care with other members of the health team

Indicator:
○ Refers patients to allied health team partners
○ Acts liaison / advocate of the patients
○ Prepares accurate documentation of efficient communication of services

CORE VALUES

A. Love of God
B. Caring
1. Compassion
2. Conscience
3. Competence
4. Confidence
5. Commitment
C. Love of People
1. Respect for the dignity of each person regardless of race, creed, color and gender
D. Love of Country

Patriotism