From: Does community health care require different competencies from physicians and nurses?
Competencies | Corresponding tasks/ Functions |
---|---|
Functional competencies | |
Public Health | Preventive activities, Health promotion, Health education, Screening, Surveillance, Outreach, Case finding and care, Social marketing, Mass vaccination campaigns (national polio days), School health services, Maintaining information system. |
Direct Patient Care | "Being a doctor": History taking & recording, Physical assessment, Diagnosing, Prescribing, Minor surgery, Basic lab works, Making referrals and Emergency care. |
 | "Being a nurse": Assisting physician, Nursing procedures, Diagnosing and prescribing for common illnesses, Recognising high risk cases & referrals, Home based management of chronic illness, First Aid, Conduct normal delivery, Assess & Resuscitate new born and Post natal care. |
Leadership and Management (All tasks identified pertain to Administration) | "Being an administrator": Administration, Conflict Management, Budgeting, Planning and Overseeing implementation of activities, Organising events, Knowledge of and connections with resources and referral services, Chairing or attending meetings, Liaison with management, Maintaining records/reports, Coordination. |
Research (mentioned by three participants) | Data collection, Training and Supervision of data collectors, Ensure data quality, Review data and Prepare reports. |
Teaching and Learning | "Being a teacher": Coaching, Mentoring, Supervision, Training-Needs-Assessment (TNA), Preparing training courses, On-the-job training in clinical and generic skills for community health workers, Giving feedback. |
Community Development and Advocacy | Identifying volunteers, Organising community based groups, Facilitating community representatives for networking with other providers, Help build trust of community in health services/team. |
Generic competencies (Cutting across all functional competencies) | |
Cultural Competence | Knowing & Speaking the same language (or finding an interpreter to understand patients’ complaints); Understanding health and illness beliefs and practices; Providing culturally acceptable/appropriate care. |
 | Communication: verbal and written |
 | Counselling, Report writing/documentation, Negotiation, Presentation and facilitation. |