Approach to Developing a Core Competency Framework for Student Nurses in Saudi Arabia: Results from Delphi Technique

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Competency-Based Education

Background:

• Nursing competence lacks international uniformity, necessitating localized frameworks.
• Existing research has not yielded a unifying global nursing competence framework.
• There is a specific need for evidence-based competence frameworks in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and validate a nursing competence framework for undergraduate students in KSA.
• To address the lack of standardized competence assessment tools in the region.

Main Methods:

• Documentary analysis was conducted.
• A framework was drafted based on initial analysis.
• A three-round Delphi process involving experts was employed to reach consensus.

Main Results:

• Consensus was achieved on six discrete domains of nursing competence.
• The developed framework provides a structure for competence-based assessment.
• The findings support the move towards a competency-based curriculum in KSA nursing education.

Conclusions:

• A competency-based model is essential for nursing education.
• Standardization and expansion of the concept of nursing competence are necessary.
• Clarifying competence dimensions and influencing factors aids in standardizing assessment tools.