Competency-based evaluation: Collaboration and consistency from academia to practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Competency-Based Assessment
• Advanced Practice Nursing

Background:

• Current nursing education relies on AACN Essentials (2021) and NONPF Competencies (2022) for curriculum and evaluation.
• A literature review revealed a significant lack of standardization in evaluating clinical practice competencies.
• Existing competency models require adaptation for advanced practice nursing education.

Approach:

• Developed a unified evaluation framework integrating concepts from healthcare competency models.
• Adapted the PRIME model for use with simulated patients to assess clinical competencies.
• Evaluated the framework's effectiveness across academic and clinical practice settings.

Key Points:

• The framework provides a standardized approach to evaluating advanced practice nursing students' clinical competencies.
• Clinical preceptors, as faculty extensions, are integral to student competency development.
• Utilizing a consistent evaluation tool across diverse settings ensures safe and effective practice.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework enhances the consistency and standardization of competency evaluation in advanced practice nursing.
• This approach supports the attainment of essential competencies for safe and effective nursing practice.
• Standardized evaluation is vital for preparing competent advanced practice nurses.