A Concept Analysis of Nurse's Competency in Japan

Saturday, 27 July 2019

Yuka Sato, MSN, RN1
Tomokazu Sugaya, PhD, RN2
Chizuru Mori, PhD, RN2
(1)1-1-1 Tennnodai,Tsukuba,Ibaraki,Japan,305-8575, Doctoral program in Nursing Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, tsukuba, Japan
(2)Faculty of Medicine, Division of Health Innovation and Nursing, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan

Background:

In Japan, there were many cases where emphasis was placed on nursing skills for the ability required of nurses (Takase, Teraoka, Miyakoshi, & Kawada, 2011). However, as society changes, what is required of nurses has also changed. The role of nurses has expanded, and nursing services have become diversified and complicated (Arimatsu et al, 2005; Hatanaka, & Endo, 2015). At the same time Advancement of nursing education is progressing. But, it has been pointed out that the practical ability of nurses in clinical practice is decreasing (Takase, Teraoka, Miyakoshi, & Kawada, 2011; Arimatsu et al, 2005). From these things, it is possible that there is a gap between the ability acquired by higher education and the ability required as a nurse in the clinical setting.

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of nurse's competency in Japan. Its significance is to make it an educational material to enhance the ability required as a nurse.

Methods:

Literature was electronically searched with Ichushi-Web and the search period is not limited. The keywords were “competency in Nurses” and “competency” “nurse”. "Nurses" in the target literature work in general hospitals rather than in a community or elderly facility, and excluded those dealing with the competency of professional nurses, certified nurses and nurses in a specific field. There are differences in the country, the medical system and the role of nurses. This time I wanted to clarify the competency of Japanese nurses, s so I restricted it to the paper in which Japanese things are written. The literature related to interpersonal communication were chosen and analyzed by using Rodger’s evolutionary method (2000) of concept analysis.

Results:

As a result of search based on the data collection method, 26 documents were extracted. Seven categories were identified in the attributes and named “Understand patients and their families”, “Providing technology to patients and their families (clinical care)”, “Face up to patients and their families”, “Look at the environment surrounding the patients and their families”, “Work with other occupations”, “Professional attitude as a nurse” , and “To self-study”. Six antecedents were identified and named “Working condition”, “A thought on nursing” , “Basic attitude”, “Sociality”, “Personal characteristics” and “Basic academic ability”. Two consequences were extracted and named “Improve nurse's identity” and “Improve quality of care · Provide quality care”.

Discussion:

Competency required of nurses is focused on facing patients and their families and providing appropriate care. In addition to that, it is required to cooperate with surrounding nurses and other occupations. By looking back on ourselves and our own practices, we need to further enhance our own competency and provide higher quality care. And, It is also important to have pride as a nursing profession and to constantly develop. This suggested that the nurse 's own identity could be improved and that high - quality care that patients and families would be satisfied could be provided. As a result of the concept analysis of competency in nurses, it turned out to be composed of various aspects. The competency in nurses can be defined as integrate each ability and demonstrate it effectively; in addition to the ability to provide care and build relationships of trust with patients and their families, they have the ability to cooperate with multiple occupations, to self-study, to have a professional attitude as a nurse. In order to improve the competency in nurses, it was necessary not to see the abilities individually but to integrate and apply them. In-hospital training has been conducted to improve the ability of nurses. But it is inadequate to integrate, apply, and utilize the contents of each one learned through training. Aoki et al. (2017) stated that the current state of nurse's abilities is a state in which basic knowledge, skills, attitudes are acquired, but it is not exerted as a capability applying them. They state the importance of nurturing the ability to utilize and develop in practice. In order to improve my ability as a nurse, I think it is important that I need to understand my ability and characteristics and improve my ability, but I also want to grow from mutual relationship with my surroundings. While acquiring experience, finding models from various people, understanding values and behaviors of others and responding flexibly are also important to enhance self's abilities (Tateishi et al, 2016). In this way, not only to learn knowledge and skills, but also to integrate and apply it, to improve nursing skills by studying through interaction not only with himself but also with others is necessary. From the results of this study, it became clear that the nurse's competency, such as the characteristics of the individual, is greatly influenced by its premise. Since the antecedents is also largely related to the competency in nurses, it was suggested that further capacity improvement can be expected by paying attention not only to the attribute but also to the antecedents.

Conclusion:

Based on the result of the conceptual analysis, the following was clarified Seven categories were identified in the attributes and named “Understand patients and their families”, “Providing technology to patients and their families (clinical care)”, “Face up to patients and their families”, “Look at the environment surrounding the patients and their families”, “Work with other occupations”, “Professional attitude as a nurse” , and “To self-study”. Six antecedents were identified and named “Working condition”, “A thought on nursing” , “Basic attitude”, “Sociality”, “Personal characteristics” and “Basic academic ability”. Two consequences were extracted and named “Improve nurse's identity” and “Improve quality of care · Provide quality care”.