From the field: a maternal-child health nursing competence validation model.

This group of Vermont community health nurses from different agencies collaborated to develop a competence validation framework for maternal and child health nursing in the practice areas of perinatal client teaching, breastfeeding, and prenatal, postpartum, and newborn nursing care. The framework is based on the work of Benner, using the "competent" level of nursing practice, and delineates three parameters of competence: technical skills, interpersonal skills, and critical thinking skills. Learning resource materials, including newborn and maternal assessment guidelines, were developed for each competence area.