Template for VA NPSB (Nurse Professional Salary Board)

**Nurse Professional Standards Board**

Addressing the Four Dimensions (Nine Criteria) of Nursing Practice

Congratulations on your selection for an RN position with the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center!  As part of the salary determination process for Registered Nurses, you will be evaluated by a panel of your peers (Nurse Professional Standards Board or NPSB) against the Four Dimensions of Nursing Practice.  The responsibility of the NPSB is to ensure that you meet established qualifications and subsequently establish a pay level recommendation.  As such, your response to the Nine Dimensions has a direct impact on the establishment of your pay. 

The following guidance is provided to optimize your success with this process.  Although daunting at times, your thoughtful responses to each of the Nine Criteria within the Four Dimensions are critical to the outcome of your salary determination.  The NPSB has an opportunity to qualify you at one of three grades:  Nurse I, Nurse II, or Nurse III.  Within Nurse I, there are also three levels—Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.  When considering your responses, be advised of the following qualification standards for each grade:

Nurse I:  Associate Degree/Diploma required.  In each of the Four Dimensions, the Board is looking for INDIVIDUAL growth and development in clinical practice to increasing levels of self direction.

Nurse II:  Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing required.  (Associate in Nursing/Diploma with Bachelor’s in health-related field may be considered).  In each of the Four Dimensions, the Board will expect UNIT level contributions and leadership.

Nurse III:  Master’s Degree in Nursing required. (BSN with Master’s in health-related field may be considered).  In each of the Four Dimensions, SUSTAINED LEADERSHIP resulting in program contributions and outcomes BEYOND THE UNIT/PRACTICE SETTING.  That is, involvement at the ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL is expected.

NOTE:  Both educational requirements and meeting the Four Dimension standards for that particular grade are required to be recommended for that grade. 

The Four Dimensions of Nursing Practice are as follows:  Nursing Practice (Practice, Ethics, Resource Utilization); Professional Role-Leadership (Education/Career Development, Performance); Collaboration (Collegiality, Collaboration) and Scientific Inquiry (Quality of Care, Research).  NOTE:  Leadership is not one of the dimensions, but leadership principles are expected to be woven throughout the established categories. 

Each of the Nine Criteria should be addressed by you citing examples (at least one) that are measurable and support the qualifications standards.  One example may suffice to support all criteria under a single Dimension, but all criteria must be met…NOT just the Dimension.  As a template for your response, the following guidance is offered:

                                **What is the issue/problem? – ISSUE/PROBLEM

                                   What was done (intervention)? - ACTION

                                For Whom? - POPULATION
                                What difference did it make? – OUTCOME (Measureable)

                                When; Did it last? – SUSTAINABILITY

Please see the following table for additional guidance:
**Template Designed by Rick A. Madison RN, MN, Nurse Recruiter, Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Bldg 135/Rm 253 (Mail Code 05)3001 Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL 60064 Phone: 224-610-3202 Fax: 224-610-3848 rick.madison2@va.gov

	Criteria	Nurse I	Nurse II	Nurse III
Nursing Practice	PRACTICE	Demo Independence; No charge activities required	Demo Leadership; Charge Nurse/Unit Level	Leadership at Service, Service Line, or Medical Center Level; looking for organized processes or systems
	ETHICS	Assumes responsibility for Individual judgments/actions	Serves as resource in indentifying ethical issues	Leadership in anticipating risks, resolving ethical issues and dilemmas, analyzing trends, and taking appropriate action
	RESOURCE UTILIZATION	Effectively plans/directs flow of patient care and nursing resources	Identifies potential problems involving resources or pt safety and takes action to avert (Team/Unit)	Manages and analyzes resources, evaluates options and takes actions that impact organization outcomes beyond the unit/practice area.
Professional Role	EDUCATION/CAREER DEVELOPMENT	Seeks knowledge for indiv competency (indiv educ plan/reads health care literature)	Participates in educational activities to enhance role performance at the unit/team level	Implements educational plan to meet changing needs of program/ service
	PERFORMANCE	Incorporates feedback into personal development (self-assessment)	Self-evaluation and evaluation of others	Self-evaluation and evaluation of program or service effectiveness (recommending/implementing changes)
Collaboration	COLLEGIALITY	Attends/participates in staff meetings and in-services.	Educates colleagues, preceptor and mentoring roles	Coaches in team building:  active involvement in group accomplishments; sharing expertise outside of the facility.
	COLLABORATION	Team participation, interpersonal skills, develops collaborative plans of care	Uses group process to identify, analyze, and resolve care problems	Leadership and decision-making role in use of group process for interdisciplinary problem-solving beyond unit/practice setting.
Scientific Inquiry	QUALITY OF CARE	Use QI findings to guide OWN practice (NOT the RN providing quality care)	Participates in QI activities (data collection, analysis, recommendations, etc)  at the Unit level	Initiates/Leads QI activities at the program, service, and/or facility level
	RESEARCH	Awareness of research; uses to validate/change own practice	Uses research to validate or change Work group/Team practice	Demonstrates leadership in collaboration with others in research activities, across programs/services, to validate & improve practice

             

You may use the template below for your submission (or use your own format if desired).  Expand the document as needed to individualize with your examples/input.  The template supports two examples for each Criteria, although only ONE is required.

Example template,  fill in areas of your personal strength, only ONE is required although two is given

NPSB Input

Nine Criteria of Nursing Practice

Name:               Joseph Snuffy                                                                      Date: 20100812

1. NURSING PRACTICE DIMENSION:

PRACTICE--                       

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

ETHICS--                             

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

 -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

RESOURCE--UTILIZATION          

Issue/Problem:

Action:

               

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

2. PROFESSIONAL ROLE DIMENSION:

EDUCATION—CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Issue/Problem:

               

Action:

               

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue/Problem:    

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

PERFORMANCE--            

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                               

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                               

3. COLLABORATION DIMENSION:

COLLEGIALITY--             

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

                                               

Issue/Problem:    

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

COLLABORATION-         

Issue/Problem:    

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________                                                        

Issue/Problem:

Action:

                                                               

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                               

4. SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY DIMENSION:

QUALITY OF CARE--      

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                                 

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________                                                        

RESEARCH--                     

Issue/Problem:

Action:

               

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Issue/Problem:

Action:

Population:

Outcome(s):

Sustainability:

JOE SNUFFY_________________________________________________________20100812______________

(Your Signature                                                                                                           year/month/day