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Nurse Practitioner Delphi Study: competencies for practice in emergency care
Journal of Emergency Nursing
|September 15, 2010
Summary
The Emergency Nurses Association established 60 entry-level competencies for nurse practitioners (NPs) in emergency care through a Delphi study. These validated competencies will guide NP education, practice, and future research in emergency settings.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Nursing
- Nurse Practitioner Competencies
- Healthcare Professional Standards
Background:
- The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) initiated a Delphi study to define professional and clinical competencies for nurse practitioners (NPs) in emergency care.
- This initiative aimed to establish a consensus on essential skills for NPs working in diverse emergency settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To verify and achieve consensus on entry-level professional and clinical competencies for NPs in emergency care.
- To create a foundational document for NP education, practice, and research in emergency medicine.
Main Methods:
- A three-round Delphi study was conducted with a national sample of credentialed emergency care NPs from September 2007 to May 2008.
- Online questionnaires assessed the importance and frequency of competencies, with participants also suggesting unaddressed areas.
- A subsequent Consensus Panel Meeting in 2008 involved multidisciplinary stakeholders to validate Delphi findings.
Main Results:
- An initial list of 111 competencies was refined to 83 through the Delphi process.
- A final list of 60 entry-level competencies was approved by a multidisciplinary stakeholder Consensus Panel.
- Participating organizations included AAEM, AANP, AACN, ACEP, ACNP, ANA, ANCC, BCEN, CCNE, NCSBN, and NONPF.
Conclusions:
- The validated competencies have significant implications for NP education, providing a basis for emergency care curricula.
- These competencies highlight the unique aspects of emergency care practice for NPs.
- The findings support further research, including the development of advanced competencies for emergency care NPs.
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