Brokered clinical experiences in undergraduate nursing education: Development of the Brokered Clinical Experience...

Variability and inequity in undergraduate nursing clinical education persist despite growing emphasis on competency-based preparation and practice readiness. Traditional clinical models rely heavily on chance patient encounters, resulting in uneven exposure to essential populations, conditions, and systems-level learning opportunities. Although prior scholarship has clarified brokered clinical experiences as an intentional, equity-oriented approach to clinical learning, practical guidance for implementation remains limited. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and structure of the Brokered Clinical Experience Model (BCEM), a competency-based framework designed to operationalize brokered clinical experiences in undergraduate nursing education. Grounded in sociocultural and constructivist learning theory, nursing theory, and contemporary competency-based education frameworks, the BCEM translates conceptual attributes of brokerage into actionable educational processes. The model is organized around three interrelated components: defined roles for students, preceptors, faculty, and institutions; core brokerage processes including learner readiness assessment, intentional curation and sequencing of encounters, reflective interpretation, and progressive transfer of responsibility; and supporting structures such as documentation systems, competency tracking, reflective tools, and academic-practice partnerships. Equity is embedded as an explicit mechanism within the model through intentional identification and correction of exposure gaps across learners and cohorts. The BCEM is intentionally process-oriented rather than structurally prescriptive, allowing adaptation across diverse clinical education contexts while maintaining fidelity to core principles. By operationalizing intentional learning design, developmental progression, and equity of exposure, the model provides a coherent framework for aligning clinical education with accreditation standards, regulatory expectations, and contemporary workforce demands. The BCEM offers a foundation for future empirical testing and advancement of equitable, competency-based nursing clinical education.