Critical Thinking Disposition, Job Competency, and Educational Needs of Home Visiting Nurses in the Long-term Care Insurance

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to examine the critical-thinking disposition, job competency, and educational needs of home visiting nurses in long-term-care insurance and to provide evidence to further develop educational programs to strengthen home visiting nurses’ competencies. Methods This study adopted a correlational research design. Data accrued from 180 home visiting nurses in long-term-care insurance using a convenience-and snowball- sampling method. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 25.0 software package and Excel. Priorities of educational needs were determined based on the Borich's Needs Assessment Model. Results A positive correlation exists between critical-thinking disposition and perceived job competency of long-term-care home visiting nurses (r=.59, p<.001). Experience as a home visiting nurse was a major factor related to criticalthinking disposition and perceived job competency. Home visiting nurses were found to have higher educational needs in developing services and educational materials, as well as utilizing community resources by applying the Borich's Needs Assessment Model. Conclusion These results highlight the need to provide career development programs for home visiting nurses with less experience in the field to enforce competencies and compose good working environments so the experienced nurses with high job competencies can remain in the field and improve the quality of visiting nursing care. Key Words: Visiting nurse, Long-Term Care, Critical thinking, Competence, Needs assessment