Pre-Conference Event

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Time: 9am-12pm

• Karen Curry, Dalhousie University; President, Community Health Nurses of Canada 
• Barbara Chyzzy, Toronto Metropolitan University; Community Health Nurses of Canada  

The Community Health Nurses of Canada are pleased to collaborate with the Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association to share the process undertaken to review and revise the Home Health Nursing Competencies and explore the application of the 2024 Home Health Nursing Competencies to Gerontological Nursing Practice. 

Home Health Nursing practice is an important domain of nursing practice that provides services across the lifespan. In an ever-increasing complex home environment, the revised competencies are robust and provide directives for Home Health Nurses (HHN), Home Health Nursing services and organizations and for clients and families.  Most home care clients are older adults, who represent 50% of households in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2022).  Home Health Nurses work to support older adults to live in place and maintain independence. 

The 2024 Home Health Nursing Competencies, now the most up-to-date globally, are a crucial step in improving care in home health settings. These competencies aim to support equitable, high-quality care for diverse populations, with lessons applicable to nurses working with older adults in community nursing settings.

This presentation will provide an overview of the process utilized to update the Home Health Nursing Competencies and work with participants to explore the application of the competencies for gerontological nurses, working in community settings, who focus services on older adults. 

1. To increase awareness of the 2024 Home Health Nursing Competencies and the process used for revising national competencies. 
2. To explore strategies for gerontological nurses, working in community settings, to apply the 2024 Home Health Competencies to their practice. 
3. To explore opportunities for collaboration with Community Health Nurses of Canada and the Canadian Gerontological Nurses Association. 

At the end of this workshop, participants will have a better understanding of the following:

1. The engagement process to update national nursing practice competencies. 
2. The value of integrating nursing competencies into organizational structures and professional development activities. 
3. Identification of opportunities to share HHN competencies with gerontological nursing practice settings. 

• Introduction and Review of the revision process and final tools available. 
• Interactive activities to engage participants in self-assessment of home health competencies relative to gerontological nursing practice setting, 
• Sharing of tools and strategies for competency development in a variety of workplace settings. 
• Exploring opportunities for Community Health Nurses Association and Gerontology Nurses Association collaboration.