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. 2020 Mar;32(3):200-217.
doi: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000384.

Determining nurse practitioner core competencies using a Delphi approach

Tracey Elizabeth Chan  1   2 , Joan Such Lockhart  1 , James B Schreiber  1 , Rebecca Kronk  1
Affiliations

Determining nurse practitioner core competencies using a Delphi approach

Tracey Elizabeth Chan et al. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2020 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Competency-based education (CBE) has been recommended for nurse practitioner (NP) education. To implement CBE, existing NP core competencies need to be reduced in number and refined.

Purpose: This study refined and reduced redundancy in the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) NP core competencies through the consensus of experts in NP practice. This study used the current NP Core Competencies (NONPF, 2017), the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006), and the Common Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Doctoral-Level Competencies (AACN, 2017a) because these documents are the competencies-accredited NP programs commonly used in curriculum development. The primary aim of this study was to refine and reduce redundancy of these competencies; a secondary aim was to ensure that the final competencies were clear and measurable.

Methods: A Delphi approach was used to reach consensus among an expert panel who reviewed the core competencies via an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate median and interquartile ranges; content analysis was conducted with qualitative data.

Results: Consensus was reached after 3 rounds and resulted in 49 final core competencies.

Implications for practice: This study provides the NP community with a manageable list of relevant, clear, and measurable competencies that faculty members can use to implement CBE in their programs.

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References

    1. AACN. (2004). AACN position statement on the practice doctorate in nursing. Retrieved from http://www.aacnnursing.org/DNP/Position-Statement.
    1. AACN. (2017a). Common Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Doctoral-Level Competencies. Retrieved from http://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/AcademicNursing/pdf/Common-APRN-Do....
    1. AACN. (2017b). DNP factsheet. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.org.
    1. AACN. (2006). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu.
    1. AANP. (2013). Nurse practitioner curriculum. Retrieved from https://www.aanp.org/images/documents/publications/curriculum.pdf.

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