Utilization management advancement system: a career ladder for nonclinical nursing.

This article describes a utilization management advancement system at the authors' facility that recognizes the staff members' levels of utilization management expertise and links them with the annual performance appraisal. After 2 years of brainstorming, analysis, discussion, and research, the utilization management nurses were able to define their practice in terms of functional domains that reflect levels of experience and competencies. The process of developing these levels and the performance appraisal standards is addressed.