Competency Self-Assessment

Women’s Health Role Specific Competency Self-Assessment

Core Competency Role Specific Competency Examples of partial or

complete attainment of the

competency

Areas needing further

development

Scientific

Foundation

Integrates research, theory, and

evidence-based practice

knowledge to develop clinical

approaches that address women's

responses to physical and mental

health and illness across the

lifespan.

I am able to integrate,

research, theory, and

evidence-based practice

knowledge learned

throughout NU 629, 650,

661, 664, and 665 when

providing care to women at

various stages of their life

cycle to meet both their

physical and psychosocial

needs. I am able to

complete holistic

assessments from this

knowledge base

I need to learn more about

infertility and fertility

treatments to be better

prepared to care for patients

experiencing these medical

concerns.

Integrates best evidence into

practice incorporating client values

and clinical judgment.

I am educating patients on

treatment and management

options based on best

evidence from ACOG, Up

to Date and other peer

reviewed resources. From

this I support patients in

making the determination

of which treatment option

is the best for them. This

takes in to consideration

the patients’ personal

beliefs, values, and culture.

Leadership CORE NO role specific

1.Assumes complex and advanced

leadership roles to initiate and

guide change.

2. Provides leadership to foster

collaboration with multiple

stakeholders (e.g. patients,

community, integrated health care

teams, and policy makers) to

improve health care.

3. Demonstrates leadership that

uses critical and reflective

thinking.

4. Advocates for improved access,

quality and cost effective health

care.

2. I have had the

opportunity to provide

patient feedback to key

stakeholder as to how

certain processes can be

improved to improve the

patient experience.

4. Pursuing my degree as a

WHNP is my first step to

helping improve the access

and quality of care in a

cost-effective healthcare

for the women of my

community as currently

their main option is to go to

an MD. There are

currently extended waited

1. As a student NP I have

not been in the position

to initiate and guide

practice change as I had

in my prior role as a

nursing leader.

3. In the future I will be

able to utilize my prior

leadership experience to

utilize critical and

reflective thinking as I

gain more experience as

a provider.

5. Advances practice through the

development and implementation

of innovations incorporating

principles of change.

6. Communicates practice

knowledge effectively both orally

and in writing.

7. Participates in professional

organizations and activities that

influence advanced practice

nursing and/or health outcomes of

a population focus.

times for visits at the

specialty OB/GYN

practice. I am applying

what I learned through NU

609 to advocate with senior

leaders to advocate for

more NPs within the

system as care providers.

6. I have been able to

communicate practice

knowledge through

completion of case studies

and patient presentations in

NU 664 and 665. I am

going to be presenting a

topic of interest to the

office staff where I am at

clinical during a lunch and

learn. I am able to utilize

practice knowledge to

educate my patients.

7. I am a student member

of the NPWH. I am also a

member of AWHONN and

have taken part in

developing the Vermont

chapter’s annual

conference. I am also a

member of the Northern

New England Perinatal

Quality Improvement

Network that focusing on

improving perinatal care.

Quality CORE NO role Specific

1.Uses best available evidence to

continuously improve quality of

clinical practice.

2. Evaluates the relationships

among access, cost, quality, and

safety and their influence on health

care.

3. Evaluates how organizational

structure, care processes,

financing, marketing and policy

decisions impact the quality of

health care

4. Applies skills in peer review to

promote a culture of excellence.

5. Anticipates variations in

practice and is proactive in

implanting interventions to ensure

quality.

2. Through NU 609 and

the field work portion of

that course I was able to

begin studying about and

evaluating the access, cost,

quality, and safety of the

healthcare locally and far

reaching.

3. I am able to begin

looking at data around

patient access, wait times

for appointments, and wait

time at visits is impacted

by organizational structure,

practice process, and policy

impact quality of care

based on defined patient

outcomes.

1. As a student NP I am

incorporating evidence

to provide quality care.

As a provider I will be

able to bring forth new

evidence as it comes

forward to change

practices and ensure

quality care is provided

to patients.

4. While as a student I

have not had the

opportunity to directly

take part in peer review,

I have had the

opportunity to observe

this being done amongst

my preceptors and their

colleagues at a monthly

5. Through my clinical

experiences I have

observed variations in

practice amongst my

preceptors. I am able to

evaluate these variations

and see that patients are

still receiving quality care

within evidence-based

practice guidelines. From

this I am able to develop

my practice to ensure

quality.

meeting in which they

review patient cases

based on outcomes and

identify areas for

opportunity or needed

practice change.

Practice Inquiry Integrates of gender-specific

evidence into practice.

I am able to apply the

information about gender

specific findings from

pharmacology,

pathophysiology, health

assessment, NU 661, NU

664, and NU665 to

differentiate between

normal and abnormal

findings in clinical

practicum. I am able to

review lab results with my

preceptor to analyze them

with this knowledge as

well.

Evaluates gender-specific

interventions and outcomes.

With the support of my

preceptors, I am able to see

patients in follow up to

evaluate of the treatments

prescribed to them are

effective and leading to the

desired patient outcomes.

If the desired outcomes are

not achieved, I am able to

recommend and change the

plan of care and treatment

to work towards achieving

the desired patient

outcomes.

Technology &

Information

Literacy

Uses health information and

technology tools in providing care

for women across the lifespan to

communicate, manage knowledge,

improve access, mitigate error, and

to support clinical decision making

locally and globally.

There are several apps that

I have on my phone to help

guide clinical practice that I

am utilizing. A couple

examples are the ASCCP

cervical cancer screening

and management app and

the CDC and the CDC app

In the future I hope to be

able to provide my patients

with telemedicine

appointments as appropriate

with local tertiary centers.

If available in the practice I

ultimately end up practicing

for the US Medical

Eligibility for

contraceptives. I all utilize

Up To Date consistently for

assisting with developing

treatment plans.

in, I will be able to

communicate directly with

my patients via email via a

secured system.

I have not had the

opportunity in clinical

practicum to utilize and

analyze data to improve

access, quality and the cost

of care.

Policy Advocates for health care policies

and research that support

accessible, equitable, affordable,

safe and effective health care for

women both locally and globally.

I have had the opportunity

to attend and take part in a

couple of meetings at the

state level for Vermont’s

Women’s Health Initiative.

I hope to continue to be

involved in this work

following graduation as

well. This initiative has

increased access to same

LARC insertions and has

improved screening for

women’s mental health,

substance abuse, and

housing/food concerns

within the practice I am

completing my practicum.

Following graduation, I

hope to be more engaged

and active in national

organizations such as

AWHONN and NPWH to

advocate for improved

quality and access to care

more globally.

Health Delivery

System

Demonstrates knowledge of

legal/ethical issues and regulatory

agencies relevant to gender-

specific issues.

I am continuing to learn

more about the laws of

Vermont around caring for

minors in a Women’s

Health clinic and what is

permissible without

parental consent.

I have observed my

preceptors obtaining

informed consent for

procedures such as tubal

ligation and IUD insertions

but as a student NP I have

not had the opportunity to

do this yet but will

following graduation. I am

also developing knowledge

around the insurance

carriers’ requirements for

obtaining consent prior to

sterilization procedures as

there are varying

requirements for payment.

Ethics Recognizes the unique ethical

dilemmas in women’s health care.

I have studied ethical

dilemmas in women’s

health through course work

at Regis in NU 629, 661,

664, and 665. This, along

with my 20 years of

nursing experience in the

area of Women’s Health I

am prepared to recognize

these ethical dilemmas and

address them when faced

with them in practice.

Recognize the global ethical

challenges in women’s health care.

Again, through my studies

at Regis and my prior

nursing experience I feel I

have a strong foundation

and are able to recognize

these global ethical

challenges

Develops ethically sound solutions

to complex global issues related to

women.

I can be more involved in

educating others and being

an active member of

national organizations to

work towards increasing

awareness and developing

solutions for issues such as

gender roles, violence

against women and cultural

variations.

Independent

Practice

Provides culturally appropriate

reproductive and primary care for

women of all ages.

I have gained some

knowledge throughout my

course work at Regis and

incorporate this into my

clinical practice as able.

Vermont is not a very

culturally diverse state.

Therefore, I have not had

the opportunity to care for

patients of many different

cultures. As I have the

opportunity to do so I will

take the time to learn about

their culture and be certain I

understand from the patient

her beliefs and values to

incorporate them into her

plan of care.

Approaches gender-specific

developmental events, such as

menarche, pregnancy, menopause

and senescence, as normative

transitions not disease states.

My course work at Regis

in NU 661, 664, and 665

along with my years of

nursing experience has well

prepared me to counsel

patients on the normal

pathophysiological changes

that occur throughout the

life cycle of a women. I

am able to educate women

on what to expect at these

various developmental

changes to provide

reassurance.

Recognizes unique health care

needs of marginalized women,

I am able to utilize my

knowledge of resources

I attended an educational

session, along with one of

including victims of violence and

transgendered female clients.

available and experience

from caring for women

whom are experiencing

violence to support and

educate them on the

resources available to them.

I am able to provide the

appropriate referrals as

indicated while respecting

their privacy and

independent decisions.

my preceptors, to learn more

about providing care to

transgendered female

patients across the lifespan

as this is a patient

population that the practice

has not had the opportunity

to care for frequently. I am

going to provide a lunch and

learn session to provide

education to other

healthcare team members to

increase our knowledge

foundation.

Recognizes disease manifestations

unique to women.

My course work in NU

661, 664, and 665 through

discussion boards and case

studies has supported the

development of women

specific disease recognition

and the management of

these conditions.

I have been able to utilize

this knowledge in clinical

practice when assessing

patients presenting for

problem visits or in

identifying abnormal

findings during wellness

exams.

Manages disease manifestations

unique to women.

My course work in NU

661, 664, and 665 through

discussion boards and case

studies has supported the

development of women

specific disease recognition

and the management of

these conditions.

In collaboration with my

preceptors, I am able to

determine appropriate

diagnostic testing and

management options based

on clinical findings and

diagnostic testing results.

Evidence based guidelines

are utilized to guide clinical

care decisions. I have

frequently reviewed ACOG

practice bulletins for

guidance along with Up To

Date.

Provides infertility and sexually

transmitted disease services to

sexual partners of female patients.

While I gained the

knowledge through

completing the CDC STD

modules in NU 664, I have

not had the opportunity to

provide this care in clinical

practice. I need to learn

more about the policies and

protocols around this at my

clinical practice site.

Supports a woman’s right to make

her own decisions regarding her

health and reproductive choices

within the context of her belief

system.

As a student I have observed

my preceptors counseling

and supporting women

through such decisions. I

am taking what I am

learning and observing from

my preceptors and will work

to develop my own practice

and approach in my

independent practice.

Assesses genetic, social,

environmental, physical, and

mental health risks through

collection of family, social,

environmental, and health data.

Assignments in Advanced

Health Assessment and

case studies in NU 664 and

NU 665 have allowed me

the opportunity to practice

collection of a thorough

health history to assess and

identify components that

may impact my patient’s

health. I have now been

able to put this knowledge

into practice in my clinical

practicum as I routinely

review and collect a

thorough health history

from my patients.

Provides counseling, management,

and/or referral based on identified

healthcare risk factors.

I have observed my

preceptors counsel patients

on management options for

various disease processes

and risk factors, including

available referrals to

specialist as indicated. I am

working to incorporate these

experiences into my own

practice and will continue to

do so through practicum and

after graduation.