Date: 11/28/2018

Author(s): Maia Platt,Andrea Kwasky, Douglas A. MacDonald and Joanne Spetz

 

A survey of nursing administrators in the US was conducted to solicit opinions about health economics (HE) course competencies for baccalaureate nursing (BSN) programs. The survey was conducted to provide rationale for intensifying educational efforts to increase nurses’ awareness about the value of HE skills in their everyday work. Methods Participants were asked to rate six HE competencies using a Likert scale. Paired-samples t-tests, bivariate correlations, and standard multiple linear regressions were used to analyze survey results. Discussion A strong direct relationship exists between the amount of prior knowledge nursing administrators have about HE and the perceived level of usefulness of HE skills. Conclusions Nurses’ contributions to creating value in healthcare must be encouraged. Increasing the share and accessibility of the HE content in continuing education (CE) offerings could be one way to expand HE knowledge among practicing nurses and promote cost-effective delivery of healthcare in the US.