Geriatric core competencies for non-geriatricians and nurses: a scoping review

There is a lack of geriatric core competencies for non-geriatricians and nurses. Our review aimed to identify and analyse the key concepts of the core competencies in these groups.

A systematic search was conducted through July 2025 using five electronic databases: Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Ageline, and Education Resources Information Center. Studies related to geriatric core competencies, involving research populations such as physicians, residents, medical students, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners, and conducted via expert consensus or the Delphi method were included. We classified the core competencies using an integrated domain-based approach and aligned them using Bloom's taxonomy framework.

From the ten studies included in the final review, we identified 257 geriatric core competencies distributed into 18 domains. The most frequently mentioned competencies for physicians, medical students, and nurses were disease and comorbidities, pharmacologic/medication management, and cognitive/dementia. These competencies fall under the "patient care" category defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In terms of Bloom's taxonomy, 59.14% (152/257) of the geriatric core competencies were classified as Apply in the cognitive process dimension, and 64.2% (165/257) were classified as Conceptual in the knowledge dimension.

Our study highlights that the most emphasized core geriatric competencies in patient care are disease management, medication management, and cognitive problems. However, critical areas, such as interdisciplinary teamwork and addressing patient and caregiver needs, are significantly underrepresented. This gap necessitates a curriculum that fosters a holistic approach to geriatric education among healthcare professionals.