Nursing and Midwifery Competency Framework
- As a newly hired nurse or midwife you are expected to demonstrate, under supervision, that you are competent to deliver care in line with HMC’s 5 core competencies, which apply to all nurses and midwives, within 90 days of taking up your post in your clinical team.
- Nurses and midwives are professionally accountable and responsible for acknowledging and working within the limits of their knowledge and competence.
- Existing staff will not be formally re-evaluated as we transfer to the new competency framework. However, all staff must familiarize themselves with the new competency statements to ensure they meet the standards for their specialty through a process of self evaluation OR peer evaluation.
- For whatever reason, if there is an element of practice within your specialty competencies that you do not feel safe or confident to deliver you must tell you line manager and refrain from that element of practice until you have had the opportunity to refresh your knowledge and demonstrate your competence.
- This will allow you to continue to deliver the other elements of your practice safely, confidently, compassionately and therefore competently.
- Your line manager will guide you and help you identify resources to refresh elements of your practice as required.
- Core competencies are assessed only once, rather than annually, unless there is a change of policy or practice.
- Frequency of confirmation for specialist competencies is decided by the respective speciality nursing network or competency steering committee.
- Evidence of achievement of competencies must be presented and discussed during the APR.
- Frequency of assessment for specialist competencies is agreed by the relevant specialist network or competence steering committee.
- Frequency of assessment may be reviewed if there is a change in scope of practice, policy, international guidelines, critical incidents, adverse events or performance related issues.
