Question

A charge nurse is providing an inservice for staff nurses on the use of new IV pumps. Which of the following actions should the charge nurse take to best evaluate staff competency with the new equipment?

A. Ask each nurse to read the procedure and sign a form acknowledging competency.
B. Allow time during the workday when each nurse can demonstrate proficiency.
C. Require each nurse to take a written examination about the new equipment.
D. Verbally question the staff about the new equipment.

Answer 1

To assess competency with new IV pumps effectively, the charge nurse should have nurses demonstrate their proficiency during work hours. This allows for a practical assessment of skills necessary for operating the equipment correctly and safely.

Step-by-step explanation:

To best evaluate staff competency with new IV pumps, the charge nurse should allow time during the workday when each nurse can demonstrate proficiency (option B). This hands-on approach ensures that staff members not only know the procedure intellectually but can also perform it accurately in a practical setting. Reading and acknowledging competency (option A), taking a written examination (option C), and verbal questioning (option D) are all useful tools but they lack the practical assessment of a nurse's ability to physically operate the new equipment effectively and safely.

Demonstrations could involve the nurse going through a checklist as if performing the procedure, ensuring steps such as the cleanliness of equipment, proper labeling of specimens, and the confirming of critical patient details. This method mirrors approaches used in other high-stakes environments, such as Dr. Pronovost's checklist for ICU doctors inserting central IV lines and surgical teams performing preoperative checklists, confirming the readiness of equipment, and team member roles.