Which Feature is Most Likely Related to Entry-Level Nurse Competencies?

Entry-level nurse competencies are the observable abilities of a registered nurse at the beginning of their career that integrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment required to practice nursing safely and ethically. Different regulatory bodies and professional associations have developed and revised entry-level competencies for the practice of registered nurses in various contexts and settings. In this article, we will explore which feature is most likely related to entry-level nurse competencies and why it is important for nursing education and practice.

The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education

One of the most comprehensive and recent documents that define entry-level nurse competencies is The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2021. This document outlines the foundational elements, domains, concepts, and competencies that are essential for professional nursing education at the entry-level and advanced-level. The document also provides a new model for nursing education that is flexible, innovative, and responsive to the changing needs of health care and society.

The Essentials document identifies four foundational elements that underpin entry-level nurse competencies: professional identity, human flourishing, spirit of inquiry, and nursing judgment. These elements reflect the values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that are expected of all professional nurses. They also guide the development of the domains and concepts that organize the competencies for nursing practice.

The document also defines eight domains for nursing that represent the broad areas of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are essential for professional nursing practice. These domains are:

  • Person-Centered Care
  • Population Health
  • Interprofessional Collaboration
  • Quality Improvement
  • Safety
  • Informatics and Technology
  • Policy
  • Leadership

Within each domain, there are several concepts that describe the specific aspects of nursing practice that are relevant to that domain. For example, under the domain of person-centered care, some of the concepts are:

  • Cultural Humility
  • Health Equity
  • Health Literacy
  • Shared Decision Making
  • Care Coordination

Finally, the document lists the competencies and sub-competencies that are expected of entry-level and advanced-level nurses for each concept. These competencies describe the observable behaviors that demonstrate the integration of knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment in nursing practice. For example, under the concept of cultural humility, one of the competencies for entry-level nurses is:

  • Demonstrate respect for diverse values, beliefs, preferences, and needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

The sub-competencies for this competency are:

  • Assess one’s own biases and assumptions about individuals from different cultures.
  • Seek feedback from individuals from different cultures to improve one’s cultural competence.
  • Engage in self-reflection and lifelong learning to enhance one’s cultural competence.
  • Apply evidence-based strategies to provide culturally appropriate care.

Why is this Feature Important?

The feature of defining entry-level nurse competencies based on domains, concepts, and competencies is important for several reasons. First, it provides a clear and consistent framework for nursing education that aligns with the current and future needs of health care and society. It also ensures that entry-level nurses have the essential knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment to provide safe, competent, ethical, and compassionate care to diverse populations across various settings. Second, it facilitates interprofessional collaboration and communication by establishing common language and expectations for nursing practice. It also promotes quality improvement and safety by emphasizing evidence-based practice and continuous learning. Third, it supports workforce mobility and career advancement by creating a seamless transition from entry-level to advanced-level nursing education. It also fosters professional identity and leadership by highlighting the values and roles of professional nurses in health care.

Conclusion

Entry-level nurse competencies are the observable abilities of a registered nurse at the beginning of their career that integrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment required to practice nursing safely and ethically. One of the most comprehensive and recent documents that define entry-level nurse competencies is The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education published by AACN in 2021. This document outlines the foundational elements, domains, concepts, and competencies that are essential for professional nursing education at the entry-level and advanced-level. The feature of defining entry-level nurse competencies based on domains, concepts, and competencies is important because it provides a clear and consistent framework for nursing education that aligns with the current and future needs of health care and society; facilitates interprofessional collaboration and communication; promotes quality improvement and safety; supports workforce mobility and career advancement; fosters professional identity; leadership; among other benefits.

Doms Desk

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