Development of the Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool for Medical-Surgical Nursing (MED-SURG BKAT) © and implications for in-service educators and managers.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM: Medical-surgical nursing is now the largest specialty in acute care, and needs an objective measure of basic knowledge necessary to provide safe care to patients. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations noted that healthcare organizations have in the past relied on education and experience to support competence, but an increasing number are seeking objective measures of a nurse's knowledge that is required for safe practice. The American Nurses Association adds that safe practice is both a professional and a moral responsibility.

PROBLEM: A review of the literature failed to locate a standardized test of basic knowledge in medical-surgical nursing. In-service educators and managers need such a test to facilitate orientation programs, and as a way to safely decrease the length of orientation for new employees with previous experience in medical-surgical nursing.

METHODS: The purpose of the study was to develop a valid and reliable test to measure basic knowledge in medical-surgical nursing.

FINDINGS: The Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool for Medical-Surgical nursing was developed with support for its validity and reliability.