University of Sydney, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, Eastern Institute of Technology, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
Int Nurs Rev. 2011 Mar;58(1):103-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-7657.2010.00853.x. Epub 2011 Jan 9.
This article aims to identify and discuss a variety of interpretations, myths and tensions that surround the requirements for demonstrating continuing competence under a new national regulatory regime, which is designed to promote confidence in professional nursing practice in New Zealand (NZ).
The enactment of the Health Practitioners' Competence Assurance Act (HPCA) 2003 in NZ requires regulatory authorities to implement, administer and monitor systems to ensure that health practitioners registered in a specific scope of practice are competent. The Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) is the regulatory authority for nurses in NZ. While the onus for demonstrating and maintaining competence is clearly the responsibility of the individual nurse, since the enactment of the HPCA Act, the assessment and monitoring of that competence is the responsibility of the Nursing Council. Demonstration of competence to practise nursing begins during undergraduate nursing education. However, demonstration of continuing competence is a new legislative requirement for nurses in NZ. As a result of this new legislation the NCNZ implemented a mandatory process for the monitoring of the continuing competence of nurses.
Definitions of continuing competence within legislation and health professional regulation across developed nations have strong similarities. The need for continuing competence frameworks is generally agreed by regulatory authorities to be necessary to protect the safety of the public. However, regulatory processes that monitor the maintenance, assessment and development of continuing competence in nursing practice need to be overt, structured and well communicated in order to engage nurses, promote confidence in professional practice and protect the health and safety of members of the public.
本文旨在识别和讨论新的国家监管制度下持续胜任力要求所涉及的各种解释、误解和紧张关系，该制度旨在增强新西兰（NZ）专业护理实践的信心。
2003 年《卫生从业者能力保证法》（HPCA）在 NZ 的颁布，要求监管机构实施、管理和监督系统，以确保在特定实践范围内注册的卫生从业者具备胜任能力。新西兰护士委员会（NCNZ）是 NZ 护士的监管机构。虽然证明和保持胜任能力的责任显然是护士个人的责任，但自 HPCA 法案颁布以来，对该胜任能力的评估和监测责任就落在了护理委员会身上。护理实践的胜任能力证明始于本科护理教育。然而，在 NZ，持续胜任力是护士的一项新的立法要求。由于这项新立法，NCNZ 实施了一项对护士持续胜任力进行监测的强制性程序。
在发达各国的立法和卫生专业法规中，持续胜任力的定义具有很强的相似性。监管机构普遍认为，需要建立持续胜任力框架，以保护公众安全。然而，需要进行公开、结构化和良好沟通的监管程序，以吸引护士，增强对专业实践的信心，并保护公众的健康和安全。
