Abstract:
The purposes of this research are twofold: 1) to evaluate the nursing competency level of hemdialysis nurses of Phramongkut Hospital using the competency evaluation form of Thai Nephrology Nurses Association (2005), and 2) to create a development plan for competency development of dialysis nurses in Phramongkutklal Hospital. The population consists of 2 groups of nurses 20 operation dialysis nurses and 6 dialysis specialist nurses. The notion of planning and human resource competency development has been applied to the study. The research methodology includes 5 steps as follows: 1) specify the the expected nursing competency, 2) define the needs in planning the competency development of operation dialysis nurses using self assessment form, 3) identify gap of competency and causes of the problems, 4) create competency development plan of dialysis nurses, and 5) the assessment results of the development plan possibility by dialysis specialist nurses. The research results reveal the lack of dialysis nurse competency in 8 aspects as follows: 1) being a supervisor dealing with the water treatment system in terms of its defects and how to fix such problems, and the creation of clinical practice guidelines, 2) using and modifying the advanced hemodialysis equipments as well as creating new formation of hemodialysis in case of the equipment deficiency, 3) developing the water treatment system for the dialysis unit with high quality and quantity, 4) giving instructions of how to use the hemodialysis equipments and other related devices to nursing team and patients in terms of their defects and how to fix such problems, 5) defining and treating the abnormal values of the water system, and preparing the equipments as well as elements of water system, 6) testing the water system to analyze water value for bacteria detection and to treat the water with endotoxin and to monitor disinfection process, 7) collecting the dialysate fluid for testing and analyzing, and 8) coordinating with the technician for the hemodialysis equipment maintenance. These research results are employed to create a nursing competency development plan, which is assessed by 6 specialists. The results of the assessment reveal that the average congruent index of the plan is at 0.89 indicating the suitability of the plan implementation for competency development of dialysis nurses at the Dialysis Room Nursing Section, Phramongkutklao Hospital.