The Administrative and Service Competencies of Operating Room Head Nurse at the Secondary Level Hospital Using Delphi Technique

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe the administrative and service   competencies of operating room head nurses at a secondary level hospital. The twenty informants were experts derived by purposive sampling method including perioperative nursing administrators, perioperative nurses, nursing educators, and surgeons. The employed instrument was rating scale questionnaires. The data from the rating scale of the administrative and service competencies questionnaires were analyzed using median and interquartile range to get the consensus of experts. The study found that the administrative and service competencies of operating room head nurses at the secondary level hospital province consisted of twelve competencies. The 5 administrative competencies for operating room head nurses were: 1) Planning in the operating room, 2) Organization of operating room 3) Personnel management in the operating room 4) Nursing assignments in the operating room and 5) Control of nursing work in the operating room. While the 7 Service competencies for operating room head nurses were: 1) The patient is safe (safety) 2) the patient receives fast service (eager response) 3) the patient receives standardized services (standard) 4) the patient receives valuable services (value) 5) the patient is an important person (importance) 6) the patient is treated with great care (concern) and 7) the patient is treated with fairness (equity). The results of this study can be used for establishing the selection criteria for operating room head nurses. Furthermore, it is recommended that the guidelines be used for the development of competency among operating room head nurses.