Problem: Important components when it comes to delivering patient care. The two competencies I chose that were most important to me are communication and evidenced based practice. Communication is, I believe, the most important competency in nursing! Without communication one has nothing, this is the foundation for everything in life not just nursing. One study found poor communication was the leading cause of preventable deaths in American hospitals (Taran, 2006). Essentially communication also encompasses safety. For instance, how can you safely administer a medication if you can't read a handwritten medication order? You would then have to communicate with the ordering physician to clarify the order. You are taking charge of the situation and preventing any medication errors from occurring.