Recruiting competent newly qualified nurses in the London region: An exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Workforce Development
• Healthcare Professional Assessment
• Human Resources in Healthcare

Background:

• Competence is a critical concept in nursing, with extensive literature but no universal definition.
• Limited evidence exists on practical competence assessment during the selection and recruitment of newly qualified nurses (NQNs).
• Concerns exist regarding the perceived competence of NQNs at the commencement of their first professional role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how competence is interpreted in the recruitment and selection of NQNs.
• To explore the diverse expectations and experiences of employing Trusts in the London region regarding NQN competence.
• To address concerns about the readiness of newly qualified nurses for their initial positions.

Main Methods:

• A three-phase mixed-method approach was employed.
• Included a comprehensive literature review to establish the theoretical context.
• Utilized an electronic survey and focus groups with senior nurses to gather data on current practices and perceived essential competencies.

Main Results:

• Most Trusts assess core competencies, particularly literacy and numeracy, with defined procedures.
• Employers could articulate required NQN attributes and identify where applicants met or fell short of expectations.
• Key personal attributes, crucial for NQNs but not detailed in frameworks like KSF or NMC, are inconsistently assessed.

Conclusions:

• Significant variation exists in the types and number of competence assessments used for NQN recruitment, lacking consistency in detail.
• There is limited evidence on the validity of current assessment measures for NQNs, questioning if they truly evaluate sought-after competencies.
• Assessment of elusive competencies like communication and teamwork, alongside essential personal qualities, remains unclear and requires further investigation.