Power Inequalities in the Assessment of Nursing Competency Within the Workplace: Implications for Nursing Management

This article explores the power implications of implementing competency-based assessments within the nursing work environment from a manager's perspective. It discusses how the implementation of competency-based assessments for continuing education may affect workplace culture, in particular, the use of power, within the nursing team. The term managers for the purpose of this article is defined as nurses in senior administrative and educational positions within a health care facility. This article adds to the discourse on competency-based models by emphasizing the effect of the nursing work environment on the competency-based assessment process. It concludes by identifying strategies that can be used by nursing management when designing and implementing an effective and fair competency-based assessment for the nursing workplace. J Contin Educ Nurs 2010;41(9):408-412.