Competency-Based Nursing Education - Springer Publishing

2 Competency-Based Nursing Education
This chapter provides references and links to be used as additional
resources that support and expand the information presented. The
activities (found at the end of the chapter) provide a structure for
determining why a change is needed in an organization. The following
chapters build on the information in this chapter concerning CBE.
INTRODUCTION
There is a quiet revolution at work in education that started over 25
years ago. New directions for learning are being advocated in all levels
and types of education. Institutions face increasing amounts of information,
new technologies are introduced, funding is decreasing, and there
are external demands for accountability (Evers, Rush, & Berdrow,
1998). A major focus is a competency-based approach to all levels
and types of education: K–12, undergraduate, graduate, continuing
education and training in the workplace, and patient and consumer
programs.
Diploma- and degree-granting institutions, employer training programs,
individual professionals, and diverse educational programs are
all facing the same issues. The cost of providing educational offerings
continues to increase. Students complete educational programs that do
not prepare them to function in the workplace or prepare them for the
next level of education. For example, postsecondary institutions keep
adding courses, tutorials, and other remedial or developmental offerings
to help students be successful in their new learning environments.
New employees cannot meet job requirements. Professionals must meet
relicensure requirements. Organizations and institutions must also meet
external approval and accreditation guidelines. The major problem is
the lack of data and evidence on the educational outcomes. A great
deal of time, effort, and resources are spent to provide all these different
educational programs without achieving positive results. CBE can contribute
to making a difference in preparing new graduates and current
workers to function effectively in their jobs.
All over the world, education is being conceptualized and delivered
in new ways. Technology, in many different forms, has transformed
education by providing broader access and the ability to collect and
manage data to assess outcomes. Beyond colleges and universities, organizations
have adopted performance-based learning developed from