Abstract: This qualitative research project explored the experiences of nurse educators who sought to assess aspects, which could be related to facilitation of emotional competence, in nursing students. Focus groups were conducted in three different educational institutions, offering a Bachelor of nursing degree. Each of the participants had a teaching and assessment role within the school of nursing. The contributions of the nurse educators and their interactions were audio taped, transcribed and then later, analysed using thematic and focus group analysis practices. From the analysis of the experiences of the nurse educators, four predominant themes arose which capture the areas of importance to the participants. Student nurses can develop emotional competence by critically reflecting during classroom and clinical experiences. Continuous consideration must be made within each practicing area of nursing, of the environmental and relational challenges which inhibit or facilitate nurse's ability to practice with emotional competence. Educators and practicing nurses, who work alongside students, must uphold the expectation that emotional competence is a requisite ability and provide opportunities to foster emotional growth and skills to resolve conflict within the culture of nursing. A common view shared by the educators was that the profession of nursing needs to have a clear understanding of what constitutes emotional competence. Strategies to realistically incorporate emotional competence into the educational curriculum and competency based assessment opportunities within nursing education are required. Suggestions are presented from which undergraduate nursing education can facilitate development of emotional competence with those students working toward becoming a registered nurse. Emotional competence is suggested as an essential learning outcome in the movement toward transformative nursing education and a collaborative nursing profession.

Abstract: Critical Comparative Nursing Assessment (CCNA) is a theory about how the competence of completing Bachelor of Nursing students in New Zealand is determined. Semi-structured, audio-taped interviews and field notes were used to collect data from twenty-seven nurses with experience in undertaking competency assessment. A Glaserian grounded theory approach was used to guide the data collection and analysis. This utilised the processes of constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and saturation to generate a middle range substantive grounded theory. This is presented as a model consisting of four emergent categories that explain how nurses formulate professional judgements about competence. These are a) gathering, which describes the processes used to collect evidence of practice to inform decisions; b) weighing up, which explains how evidence is analysed using the processes of benchmarking and comparative analysis; c) judging brings into focus the tensions inherent in making professional judgements about competence and how nurses formulated these, and d) moderating, which describes the processes nurses use to validate decisions and ensure that professional responsibilities and public safety are upheld. The basic social psychological process of comparing integrates these categories to explain how nurses resolve the tensions associated with making decisions about competence. This research presents a new way of viewing and understanding how nurses assess competence. It identifies where the challengers and tensions related to the assessment of competence lie and suggests strategies that if implemented, the author suggests could further enhance the validity and reliability of assessment outcomes.

Abstract: Professional development is an ongoing requirement of nurses as a result of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act. The Act?s principal purpose is to protect the health and safety of the public by ensuring health practitioners are fit and competent to practise. This survey was designed to explore the avenues nurses have taken, and would prefer to take, for their professional development. The questionnaire was sent to a random sample of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation's registered and enrolled nurse members. Nurses overwhelmingly favoured professional development in the workplace. More than half the respondents reported a conflict with other time commitments, while a number of respondents wrote of their desire for work-life balance. The cost of fees, ability to take time off work, and time and travelling distance were all hurdles to professional development. Nurses cited information technology, conflict resolution, managing challenging behaviour, and dealing with rostered & rotating shifts as aspects of their current work for which their nursing education (pre and post) had not adequately prepared them. Nurses also indicated that their pre-registration education in health systems and political processes was inadequate for their current work. As nurses aged, their interest in professional development increased, though many still preferred workplace options. The authors conclude that, in order for professional development opportunities to be accessible and relevant, resources and time must be made available. This is vital to achieve ongoing education of nurses and improved patient outcomes. Management support, combined with effective assessment of learning needs guiding professional development opportunities, are fundamental to ensuring nurse competence.

Abstract: A clinical audit was undertaken to assess the diagnostic skills of the nurse colposcopist measuring colposcopy: histology: cytology correlation. At National Women's Health the first New Zealand nurse colposcopist training programme was developed in 2000. A retrospective audit of the colposcopy clinical records was performed during the nurse's training programme between July 2000 and March 2002. An 82% (82/100) histology: cytology: colposcopy correlation was achieved by the nurse in the third phase of her training programme. The results are comparable with other reported studies involving medical and nurse colposcopists. Expertise in colposcopy examination can be incorporated into the broader role of a Nurse Practitioner working in the area of women's health.

Abstract: The author argues that the framework of competencies required for advanced nursing practice should include a moral dimension in order to take account of relational as well as functional competencies. There is no recognition of the relational competencies required to practice caring as a moral imperative. The Nursing Council of New Zealand expects that nurses will practise 'in accord with values and moral principles'. The paper explores the history of two nursing discourses, that which sees nursing as a functional occupation and that which emphasises the relationship between nurse and patient. A practice exemplar is used to demonstrate positive outcomes from advanced relational competencies.

Abstract: This paper examines the phenomenon of exemplary nursing. It includes a literature review to identify the characteristics of good nurses. These include particular personality traits, altruism, caring, expert practice, vocation, commitment and attitude. Aspects of the nurse-patient relationship with such nurses is described.

Abstract: This research aimed to understand the level and scope of practice of the nurse practitioner in Australia and New Zealand further using a capability framework. The original study, from which the present paper was developed, sought to identify competency standards for the extended role of the nurse practitioner in Australia and New Zealand. In doing so the researchers became aware that while competencies described many of the characteristics of the nurse practitioner they did not manage to tell the whole story. In a search of the literature, the concept of capability appeared to provide a potentially useful construct to describe the attributes of the nurse practitioner that went beyond competence. A secondary analysis of data obtained from the interviews with 15 nurse practitioners working in Australia and New Zealand was undertaken. The analysis showed that capability and its dimensions is a useful model for describing the advanced level attributes of nurse practitioners. Thus, nurse practitioners described elements of their practice that involved: using their competences in novel and complex situations as well as the familiar; being creative and innovative; knowing how to learn; having a high level of self-efficacy; and working well in teams. This study suggests dimensions of capability need to be considered in the education and evaluation of nurse practitioners.