Date of Graduation

Spring 5-15-2025

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Elizabeth Lopes MSN/Ed, RN, CPAN, CAPA, CPN, HMCT

Abstract

Background Pediatric perianesthesia nurses care for patients with a wide range of complex needs. While annual competency checks are required, traditional checklist approaches do not always reflect real-life clinical situations or give nurses a chance to fully engage in their learning. This can contribute to gaps in clinical knowledge and reduced engagement in continuous learning. Objective At a San Francisco Bay Area children’s hospital, only 65% of perianesthesia nurses rated themselves as confident in their competencies. As a result, the leadership team decided to implement the Donna Wright Competency Model (DWCM), which focuses on meaningful, staff-led skill development. Aim This quality improvement project aimed to increase nurse self-assessed competency ratings by 15% in a two month period. Methods Thirty nurses participated in skills day sessions designed around topics they felt least confident in. Training included simulations, hands-on practice, and didactic. Nurses completed pre- and post-surveys using a 4-point scale (1 = very comfortable, 4 = very uncomfortable). Results Average scores improved from 1.97–2.17 before the intervention to 1.33–1.47 after, showing a 32.09% increase in perceived competency. Conclusion The DWCM helped nurses feel more confident and supported in their roles. While the project was limited by a small sample size and self-reported data, the findings suggest a meaningful impact on nurse confidence and engagement.

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