Introduction: Concept Definition
Nursing competence presents a multifold notion that comprises a number of professional skills. According to the study that was conducted in the University of Huddersfield, the primary characteristics of competence are rooted at the evaluation of the Registered Nurses’ skills and their abilities to perform specific tasks effectively (Garside & Nhemachena, 2011). Today, competency is relevant to the multiple health care spheres as well as educational disciplines that focus on the medical treatment.
One may differentiate two diverse approaches to the conceptualization of nursing competence. The first approach is called ‘behavioristic’, for it regards a direct observation of nursing performances and analyzes the accomplishment of tasks. The ‘holistic’ approach, in contrast, targets the key characteristics and skills that are required for the efficient completion of assignments (Murrels, Robinson & Griffiths, 2009). Both views are often criticized. Due to the experts’ opinion, the behavioristic approach lacks attention to knowledge, since it analyzes only the actions. The holistic approach, according to the critics, is not effective, for it is restricted to the particular domains. Still, the approaches give a consistent idea about the concept of competence and emphasize its practical appliances.
Purposes of the Concept Analysis
The primary aim of the competence analysis is to provide a framework for inspecting the experiences, knowledge and practical skills that are acquired throughout the professional career. Moreover, the paper focuses upon the role of nursing competence in education. Specifically, it targets the necessity to bridge the gap between the educational preparation and real nursing practices. Therefore, the objective of the study is to reveal the competencies that have to be taught within the educational environments in order to establish the high nursing standards throughout the world.
Literature Review
The work is based upon a contemporary nursing theory as well as practical studies of the competence concept. Thus, such scientific articles as “Nursing competences: Personal characteristics contributing to effective nursing performance” by Zhang, Luk, Arthur and Wong (2011) as well as “A review of clinical competence assessment in nursing” by Yanhua and Watson (2011) are used to reveal the defining attributes of the concept. The outcomes of both studies are crucial for an evaluation of the core features of competence, since they provide both qualitative and quantitative data that is relevant to the analysis. Besides, in this work, the article “Competency in nursing: Concept analysis” by Tilley (2008) is referenced. This study serves as a source of model cases that underline the uses of competence.
Competence Uses
In its original and the most general use, competence encompasses the particular rights and responsibilities for taking some measures and making decisions. In other words, it is one of the elements of legal and moral doctrine that rules the transmission and exchange of information about taking the most appropriate actions (Ekerdt, 2005).
The contemporary nursing theory outlines the basic ways of evaluating nursing competences. Thus, the major uses of the concept are traditionally sustained along few lines: general competency assessment, the assessment on the initial stages of education and competency analysis throughout the practice. According to the NCSBN (2005), the general competency assessment is conducted either through the didactic continuing education that predetermines a wide usage of traditional lectures and tests or through the performance-based system that implies gaining competence with the help of visual aids. The competence assessment on the initial stages of education is supported by the usage of practice portfolios that establish accountability and active learning of individuals. Finally, the ongoing competence evaluation is sustained with the help of evidence-based approaches among which one can differentiate an analysis of the treatment outcomes as well as a promotion of continuing education (National Council for State Boards of Nursing, 2005). Therefore, the primary uses of the competence concept imply complex evaluations of professional skills both on the primary and advanced stages of acquiring experience.
Defining Attributes of Competence
An ambiguity of the competence concept is one of its primary characteristics. Thus, it is not easy to evaluate the notion with the help of defining attributes. Nursing careers are quite contrastive and encompass a wide range of elements. A complex investigation of the features of competence was conducted by Zhang et al. (2008). According to the results of this study, the core defining attributes of competence are information gathering and commitment. The outcomes were based upon the direct reports that were provided by 80 nurses (Zhang et al., 2008).
While analyzing the lexis that is used in the articles on nursing competence, one may differentiate certain attributes that are the most frequent within the texts. In this work, the analysis of the attributive words in the scientific article on nursing was sustained. Due to the outcomes of this investigation, such characterizing words as knowledge and proficiency were used the prevailing number of times with the reference to competence: the former was employed 67 times and the latter was used 54 times (Zhang et al., 2008).
According to the assessment review of clinical competence that was accomplished on the basis of Cochrane, Medline and CINAHL databases, such defining attributes of competence as testing, assessment and development were identified to be the most effective in the contemporary analysis of competence (Yanhua & Watson, 2011, p. 832).
Therefore, it is obvious that the concept of competence can be defined in various ways. However, all of the features agree on the fact that the efficiency of nursing competence depends upon the striving to conduct a life-long learning.
Competence Model Cases
The model cases that are reviewed in this paper serve as the reflections of the concept as well as the references to its defining attributes. Thus, the first model that is the best illustration of competence is the model of diagnostic strategy. This model, in fact, presents a measurement of the human learning abilities. It can be applied in order to evaluate the scopes of knowledge acquisition, reproduction and analysis.
The detailed usage of the model of diagnostic strategy was described by Michelene, Glasser and Fann (2014) in their book on the nature of expertise. According to the authors, the model can be treated in different ways. In general, it is regarded either as a set of operators that assist in measuring the scopes of proficiency diagnosis or as an opportunistic method that identifies the examples of disorders and verifies them against the competence standards (Michelene et al., 2014, p. 346).
The model of diagnostic strategy is a clear reflection of the concept, since it helps to put an emphasis on the primary analogies between the learning strategies that are used by diverse individuals. Moreover, the model case shows the way in which people organize their knowledge as well as tracks the basic tendencies of knowledge appliances under the certain circumstances.
One more efficient model case that represents the competence concept is a study curriculum. The case model was described by Donna Tilley (2008) in her article on competence. In her work, the author provides an example of Alverno College that specializes in nursing and uses digital curricula so that to trace the learners’ competencies (p. 61). Consequently, this model refers to the competence-based education and provides an overview of the methods that help to investigate the concept on the initial levels of gaining proficiency.
Additional Cases
Contrary Case
Contrary cases are applied in order to demonstrate the defining attributes that do not characterize the studied concept. An example of the contrary case that may be verified against competence is the appliance of traditional tests in the nursing education. The tests assess the learners’ skills and knowledge, which is basically the evaluation of one’s ability to learn the material. However, didactic tests do not measure the practical facilities that serve as a backbone of competence. Moreover, such measurement methods never provide any feedback for the learners so that they could correct their mistakes in future.
Therefore, traditional tests do not comply with the defining attributes of competence, since they do not support its underlying principle, which is gaining practical proficiency as well as provision of opportunities for the development of one’s abilities throughout the life.
Borderline Case
Borderline cases reveal the defining attributes that partly coincide with the characteristic features of the competence concept. The borderline case that shares some common features with the concept of competence is the usage of innovative portfolios. According to the regulations of such assessment types, the learners’ abilities are evaluated on the basis of written assignments that are further included into personal portfolios. The method is used to show the progress of a learner. Still, portfolios lack one of the primary defining attributes of competence, which is fostering the future improvement and development.
Antecedents and Consequences
The antecedents for competence are meant to disclose its crucial preconditions. Thus, antecedents are the events that have to occur before competence can be identified. According to Sarah Smith (2012), the antecedents for competence embrace internal and external motivations (p. 172). Therefore, they are usually presented by the educational programs that promote nursing proficiency. Besides, eagerness to modernize the sphere of nursing education as well as to apply some innovative approaches to the competence-based learning can be the antecedents for the concept as well.
The consequences for competence are the outcomes of the occurrence of this concept. It is hard to determine the distinct follow-ups of competence, since it is a multifaceted concept that can have unpredictable results. However, one can point out the most general effects of nursing competence such as an improvement of clinical management as well as an elaboration of self-assessment methods that foster the future developments.
Empirical Referents
Empirical referents are the indicators of measurement of the specific concept’s efficiency. The evaluation of competence can embrace a wide range of forms. According to the general opinion, portfolios are the universal analyzers of individual progresses. Thus, they may serve as empirical referents for competence. However, portfolios generally lack the clearness and can not evaluate the separate dimensions of human competence. That is why it is often suggested to measure the concept through the evaluations of tasks, certain models of behaviors and the outcomes, which are sustained separately and can serve as consistent illustrations of competence.
Conclusion: Competence as a Multidimensional Concept
The paper reveals the nature of the multifaceted concept of competence. According to the primary characteristics of competence, it can serve as a leading evaluator of nursing performances. The concept, however, needs some further elaboration. For instance, one may deduce that there is no clear definition of competence. Besides, the global community lacks unanimity in establishing the defining attributes of the concept.
References
Ekerdt, D. (Ed.). (2005). Encyclopaedia of Aging (Vol. 1). New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
Garside, J., & Nhemachena, J. (2011). A concept analysis of competence and its transition in nursing. Nurse Education Today, 33(5), 541-545.
Michelene, T., Glaser, R., & Farr, M. (2014). The nature of expertise. London: Psychology Press.
Murrels, T., Robinson, S., & Griffiths, P. (2009). Assessing competence in nursing. Nursing Management, 16(4), 9-18.
National Council for State Boards of Nursing. (2005). Web.
Smith, S. (2012). Nurse Competence: A concept analysis. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge, 23(3), 172-182.
Tilley, D. (2008). Competency in nursing: Concept analysis. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 39(2), 58-64.
Yanhua, C., & Watson, R. (2011). A review of clinical competence assessment in nursing. Nurse Education Today, 31(8), 832-836.
Zhang, Z., Luk, W., Arthur, D., & Wong, T. (2008). Nursing competences: Personal characteristics contributing to effective nursing performance. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 33(4), 467-475