Establishment Of Diabetes Specialist Nurses Initial Accreditation And Evaluation Index System

[Objectives]Diabetes specialist nurse (DSN) accreditation and evaluation system (AES) wasnot established yet in our country. In this study, the present situation and researchprogress of the DSN accreditation and evaluation in China and abroad were comparedand analyzed. It aimed at building up a DSN initial accreditation and evaluation indexsystem (IAEIS), as a reference for the government administrations and hospitals toformulate a systematic and standard AES for DSN. And also to establish the weightcoefficient of each index, so to achieve a quantitative IAEIS.[Method]1.An index system was established based on the literature review, expertinterview and group discussion.2.The index system was consulted by30experts for three rounds by usingDelphi method. Questionnaires were collected and data was analyzed by Excel2003and SPSS17.0. Descriptive statistics was shown by frequency, composition ratio,expressed as a percentage. Positive response from experts was shown by the feedbackratio (%) of the questionnaires. Authority of experts was judged by authoritycoefficient. Expert opinion coordination degree was expressed by the variationcoefficient (Vj) and the Kendall coefficient of concordance (Kendall’s W). Thescreening of the indices must be satisfied the importance assignment mean>3.5, andvariation coefficient≤0.25, combined with expert advice, and screened by groupevaluation by the research team.3.Each index weight was determined by using percentage weight method, andthe DSN IAEIS was finalized.[Results]1. Formation of index system: The importance of indicators in options wereclassified by using5-point Likert scale. The screening of the indices must be satisfiedthe importance assignment mean>3.5, and variation coefficient≤0.25, combined with expert advice, and screened by group evaluation by the research team.7indices weredeleted and modified in the first round survey;1index was added,43indices weredeleted and modified in the second round survey;2indices were merged and modified.Finally131indices were introduced in the DSN IAEIS, including8basic conditionindices,5level-one indices,19level-two indices, and99level-three indices. Theeffective rate of feedback in the three surveys were100%,87%,100%respectively.The expert has proposed97changes, not only meet the statistical requirements, alsoreflected the concern and support of experts on this research. Assignment mean ofeach indices in3rounds surveys were3.38~5.00,2.67~5.00;2.90~5.00, respectively;variation coefficient were:0.05~0.32,0.04~0.38,0.00~0.38, respectively; the averagedegree of expert authority was0.77~0.94(mean0.86),0.87,0.87; expert Kendallconcordance coefficient W was0.366,0.374,0.382(p <0.01), expert opinions waswell coordinated, and the results of survey was desirable.2. The index assignment weight:8basic weights were established by usingpercentage weight method, wherein the nurses’ qualification certificate is a must, therest of degrees and qualifications is0.11,0.11for titles,0.12for diabetes specialist,0.10for the provincial level learning in diabetes,0.08for average annual paperpublished in the past5years,0.09for computer knowledge,0.07for English level,0.21for the five-level indicators of professional attitude,0.22for professionalknowledge,0.22for professional skills,0.19for core capacity,0.17for individualtraits. Level-two and three indices were also calculated by the same weight.[Conclusion]1.The expert involved in the survey is well representative and highly reliable.DSN IAEIS is established, which covered131indices including the basic condition ofDSNs, professional attitude, professional knowledge, professional skills, corecapacity and individual traits. It can evaluate the DSNs systematically andcomprehensively.2.DSN IAEIS is not only can helps to manage human resources more reliably. It also has the function of guidance for registered nurses who are going to be DSNs,which promote the self-value of DSNs in their career development. It can also be usedas personnel selection in DSNs, performance management, salary and trainingdevelopment tools. It promote the modernization of DSNs assessment methods, andthe related evaluation information system.3.But at this stage, to establish the DSN IAEIS that suits in China, should bebased on the relative accreditation system and the legal norms. The DSNsaccreditation should have its legal support, so to ensure the healthy development andimprovement of the accreditation system. And ultimately protect the legitimate rightsand interests of the hospital, the patients, and the DSNs.