Competency-Based Nursing Education - Springer Publishing

6 Competency-Based Nursing Education
knowledge, skills, and abilities that make it possible to effectively function
in a job. It is clear that definitions of competence and performance
are very similar and cause confusion between (Watson, Stimpson, Topping,
& Porock, 2002). For instance, Worth-Butler, Murphy, and Fraser
(1994), and Norman, Watson, Murrells, Calman, and Redfern (2000)
have suggested that concepts of performance and competence are
inseparable.
Eraut (1994) and Gonczi (1994) have different perspectives and
are convinced that competence integrates attributes with performance.
Girot (1993), supported by Bradshaw (1997, 1998), who highlighted
the uncertainty in the definition of competence, went on to discuss the
problems caused by such a situation and made a number of recommendations
regarding the assessment of the competence of nurses and
others. Differences in explanations about competency lead to a discussion
of the definition of the term.
Definitions of Competency
The word competency is widely used in education, but there is no
common understanding of what it means in actual educational settings.
Researchers and scholars attach different meanings and provide diverse
examples of how to implement and assess CBE systems. Watson, Stimpson,
Topping, and Porock (2002) reviewed 61 articles related to competency
in nursing education and found that in 22 of the articles, the
term competency was not defined.
According to Tilley (2008), a clear and accepted definition of competency
does not exist across nursing education and practice. Although
competency is defined in different ways, there is a common goal; to
ensure nurses have the knowledge, skills, and abilities expected and
required for their practice settings.
The word competent is derived from Latin and means having essential
qualities and abilities to function in specific ways. The National Council
of State Boards of Nursing (2005) describes competency as the ability to
apply knowledge and interpersonal, decision-making, and psychomotor
skills to nursing practice roles
A problem with the lack of clarity and common understanding is
that CBE is implemented with only selected elements or is competencybased
in name only. Even with a range of definitions, there is some
general agreement about the characteristics of CBE. They include: