- Email: [email protected]
Proposed nurse educator competencies: Development and validation of a model
Proposed nurse educator competencies: Development and validation of a model Debra Davis, DSN, RN Elizabeth Stullenbarger, DSN, RN Catherine Dearman, PhD, RN Jean A. Kelley, EdE, RN
As the concern for adequate numbers of well-prepared nurse educators grows, the Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing, an affiliate of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), has developed and validated competencies to guide the preparation of nurse educators. The 37 competency statements reflect the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities that all nurse educators must demonstrate within the roles of teacher, scholar, and collaborator. The competencies, together with the ideologies, values, and essential core knowledge from which the competencies were derived, are vital to guide educational programs preparing nurse educators and for structuring recognition and evaluation processes for certifying, credentialing, and accrediting bodies.
consistent level of quality to the public, to employers, and to accrediting bodies. As the nursing education association encompassing nursing education programs in 16 states and the District of Columbia, CCEN selected and charged an ad hoc task force to identify and validate essential nurse educator competencies as a guide to curriculum development or improvement. The members of the task force were selected based on their experience as nurse educators and administrators in associate degree, baccalaureate, and graduate programs in nursing. The group used the processes of literature review, internal and external consensus-building, and analyses of survey data to derive the 37 Nurse Educator Competencies. The diversity of nursing education work-settings demand an appropriate match between a nurse educator’s knowledge and skills and the needs and goals of particular settings, either academic or clinical. This article describes the ideologies, values, essential core knowledge and competencies that are believed to be necessary for all nurse educators, whether they attain a master’s or doctoral degree, and regardless of the settings in which they will work.
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egional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002 by the Southern Regional Educational Board’s (SREB’s) Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing (CCEN), documented a severe shortage in nurse educators in the southern region.1,2 In response to this shortage, graduate programs began developing new options or expanding existing programs to prepare educators. However, these programs are disadvantaged by the lack of professionally sanctioned competencies as standards for graduate outcomes. The use of professional competencies regarding the knowledge base and skill set for nurse educator graduates will ensure a
BACKGROUND AND MODEL In this time of faculty shortage, clear statements of expected competencies for nurse educator preparation are critical to guide graduate programs in the development of a competency-based approach for the preparation of nurse educators and to provide structure for the recognition and credentialing of faculty. Competence encompasses the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform a specific task at the expected level and degree of quality.3,4,5 Competency-based education has received significant attention at the national level as a mechanism to ensure quality and accountability. A blended competency model provides a guide for the preparation of the nurse educator at the master’s or doctoral level (Figure 1). The competencies to be attained and modeled are demonstrated within the 3 roles of the educator: teacher, scholar, and collaborator.5,6 The blended nurse educator model depicts characteristics of professional education and graduate education which, when integrated with the values of professional
Debra Davis is a Dean at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, Mobile, AL. Elizabeth Stullenbarger is an Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Alabama School of Nursing, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL. Catherine Dearman is a Professor and Chair, Maternal Child Nursing, at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, Mobile, AL. Jean A. Kelley is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alabama School of Nursing, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL. Reprint requests: Dr. Elizabeth Stullenbarger, University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Nursing, 1530 Third Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1210. E-mail: [email protected] Nurs Outlook 2005;53:206-211. 0029-6554/05/$–see front matter Copyright © 2005 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2005.01.006
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laborator competencies. This exercise resulted in the publication and distribution of a document in February, 200216 that incorporated the 35 expected nurse educator competencies and the supporting analyses of professional and graduate nursing ideologies, values, and core knowledge and skills. The report was endorsed by the CCEN, who directed the ad hoc task force to conduct a regional study to validate the identified competency statements.
METHOD
Figure 1. Nurse Educator*
nursing education and graduate nursing education, provide a base for identification of the competencies to be acquired and used by the nurse educator.7-12,14 A listing of the professional and graduate ideologies and values, along with the core knowledge and skills needed within the nurse educator role, are displayed in Table 1.
THE PROCESS FOR COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT A Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing task force of nurse educators representing all levels of collegiate nursing education in the 16 states and District of Columbia used a consensus-building process to: explicate the professional nursing and graduate values for the nurse educator role, delineate the expected roles, determine the competencies for each role, and identify the core knowledge and skills needed within each sub-role. The committee’s work was guided by 3 assumptions: (1) demonstration of the nurse educator competencies should match the mission and needs of the employing institutions; (2) preparation of nurse educators should occur at the graduate level, and (3) preparation for nurse educators should include competence in clinical practice (advanced generalist or specialist). In July 2001, 43 nurse educator competencies, originally developed by Kitchens, Stullenbarger, and Burge,15 were evaluated, updated via a review of the literature and data from a national study based on the original competencies,4 and then categorized into logical groupings that reflected the 3 nurse educator role components. The components consisted of 20 teacherrole competencies, 9 scholar competencies, and 6 col*Reprinted from Nurse Educator Competencies, 2002, Atlanta, GA: CCEN, SREB
Instrumentation The committee developed a questionnaire to validate the expected competencies. The survey respondents were asked to complete a 3-step instrument and (1) indicate agreement with each competency statement for each of the 3 roles, (2) rate the importance of the competency statements as not important, important, or very important, and (3) select the most important competencies. In addition, respondents were invited to submit additional competencies not identified in the original instrument, along with a rating of their degree of importance. Population and Sample Questionnaires were mailed to nursing education administrators at all 499 institutions in the SREB states and District of Columbia and to nursing education administrators of 51 graduate nursing programs (identified through SREB materials) for a total sample of 550. The overall return rate from the mailed questionnaire was 45%. Respondents represented each of the states and the District of Columbia; 45% were from 2-year and 55% from 4-year institutions. Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences Software for Windows was used to manage the data.
FINDINGS Respondents agreed that all 35 statements listed in the original survey were important nurse educator competencies. Agreement values for each competency ranged from 78 –98%. (see Table 2). Next, respondents ranked which of the 35 competencies were “very important” to the educator role. Teacher role competencies, rated very important by at least 70% of respondents, were competencies 5, 10, 12, 18, and 20. Only 1 competency statement “use knowledge gained through clinical practice to maintain and improve nursing curricula” was identified as very important to the scholar role by at least 60% of the respondents. Likewise, only 1 statement, “communicate effectively with peers, students, administrators, and communities, and others to facilitate enactment of best practices in nursing education,” was rated as very important to the collaborator role by ⬎ 70% of respondents. All competencies identified as very important are indicated by the superscript “1” in Table 2. Finally, respondents indicated which of the J
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Table 1. Ideologies/Values of Professional Education and Graduate Education and Core Knowledge and Skills within Nursing Educator Roles* Professional Education Ideology
Graduate Education Ideology
Body of recognized knowledge Method of inquiry A code of ethics A work setting An educational program
Advanced preparation in a field Mastery of a core of knowledge Independent study Active scholarship and research/lifetime inquiry Critical understanding of issues in the field
Professional Nursing Values
Graduate Nursing Education Values
Caring Altruism Autonomy Human dignity Integrity Social justice Lifelong learning
Leadership Open-mindedness Independence in thinking Accountability Competency Interdisciplinary approach
Core Knowledge and Skills within Nurse Educator Roles Teacher Role
Scholar Role
Learning theories Instructional strategies Usage of technology Curriculum and program development Evaluation/measurement Legal standards Mentoring Cultural influence Effective communication
Collaborator Role
Inquiry and research in education Mentoring Awareness of trends, issues, and needs in nursing education Awareness of status of research in nursing practice and education Intuitive, creative, analytical thinking and caring attitude
Leadership, communication, negotiation, organization, systems, change theories Problem-solving/decision-making Legislative/policy development process
*Data from Mayhew and Ford,7 Heiss,8 Kelley,9 AACN,10,11,14 SREB,12 O’Neil13
items they rated as very important were most important. Only 5 of the statements received a ranking of most important (defined as ⱖ 50%) by total sample. These statements in Table 2 are indicated by the superscript “2.”
assessing one’s own need for and participation in professional development. Based on these findings, the committee made the following revisions to the original set of 35 competencies:
Additional Statements In response to an invitation to submit additional items that they felt were not addressed in the core knowledge and values and original 35 competencies, survey respondents submitted 141 additional statements inclusive of values, core knowledge, and competencies. The committee reviewed the statements to determine whether they were included in those areas previously identified by the committee. It was determined that the values and core knowledge suggested by the responses were covered under the original set of statements. However, of the competencies suggested by respondents, 3 themes could not be incorporated into the original set: (1) helping learners incorporate knowledge of diverse patient groups into care, (2) applying legal/ ethical standards in interactions with others, and (3)
1. Two competencies (1 and 3) related to the teacher role were edited to incorporate the theme of helping learners apply knowledge of diverse patient groups in care. 2. An additional competency (7) was added to the collaborator role to include the theme of applying legal/ethical standards. 3. An additional competency (21) was added to the teacher role to include the theme of assessing one’s own need for and participation in professional development.
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The total set of 37 competencies is displayed in Table 2 with the additional competencies indicated by the superscript “3”.17 O
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Table 2. Nurse Educator Expected Competencies Teacher Role
Scholar Role
Collaborator Role
1. Deliver client care proficiently to diverse populations 2. Use appropriate theoretical frameworks and tools to further students’ socialization into the role of professional nursing 3. Help learners use resources effectively in coordinating diverse clients’ healthcare needs 4. Help learners recognize the impact of societal forces on healthcare delivery to individuals and groups 5. Provide clinical supervision for learners*,† 6. Maintain appropriate academic records 7. Incorporate technology into curricula and educational programs 8. Assess the program’s needs for future planning 9. Develop curricula based on the mission, philosophy, and framework of the program and the institution 10. Define instructional objectives and content consistent with overall curricular goals* 11. Organize content and learning experiences according to accepted principles of learning 12. Plan appropriate learning experiences*,† 13. Design instructional strategies, learning materials, and educational technology to achieve learning goals 14. Prescribe appropriate teaching/learning interventions based on analyses of learners’ needs 15. Use appropriate evaluation instruments to assess learning and achievement of goals† 16. Involve learners in selecting, planning, and evaluating learning experiences 17. Use information from program evaluations in planning instruction and improving the process 18. Communicate effectively*,† 19. Enact best practices in nursing education 20. Serve as an intellectual role model and mentor for students* 21. Assess his or her own knowledge and skills and implement plans for ongoing professional development‡
22. Help learners interpret and apply research in nursing practice 22. Use current research findings and scholarly works in nursing to improve nursing education 23. Recognize opportunities for conducting research in nursing 24. Promote nursing scholarship in academic and practice settings 25. Use knowledge gained through clinical practice to maintain and improve nursing curricula* 26. Demonstrate commitment to research 27. Disseminate knowledge of best practices in nursing education and research 28. Demonstrate proficiency in scholarly writing 29. Serve as an intellectual role model and mentor for students as they learn to become scholars†
30. Consult with others within and outside of the discipline 31. Establish strong links among educational institutions, clinical institutions, and the community 32. Use broad frameworks to build effective relationships within and among groups to enhance nursing education 33. Communicate effectively with peers, students, administrators, communities, and others to facilitate the enactment of best practices in nursing education* 34. Work with others to promote nursing and healthcare in political or legislative agendas 35. Explain the nursing curriculum to various constituencies — peers, students, administrators, regulatory agencies, and other health-related disciplines 36. Demonstrate professional and educational values and legal/ethical precepts in interactions‡
*⫽ Those competencies ranked as very important by respondents. †⫽ Those competencies ranked as most important by respondents. ‡⫽ Additional competencies.
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Table 3. Differences Between Types of Institutions: Identification and Ranking of the Degree of Importance of Competencies Higher Importance Ranked by Program
Competency Statements
2 Value
1. Use appropriate theoretical frameworks and tools to further student’s socialization into the role of the professional nurse.
9.243* df ⫽ 2
BSN
2. Help learners recognize the impact of societal forces on healthcare delivery, individuals, and groups.
8.188* df ⫽ 2
BSN
3. Provide clinical supervision to learners.
17.537* df ⫽ 2 9.111* df ⫽ 2 51.567* df ⫽ 2 25.883* df ⫽ 2
4. Maintain appropriate academic records. 5. Help learners interpret and apply research. 6. Use current research findings and scholarly work in nursing to improve nursing education. 7. Recognize opportunities for conducting research. 8. Promote nursing scholarship in academic and practice settings. 9. Demonstrate commitment to research.
31.618* df ⫽ 2 15.492* df ⫽ 2 50.893* df ⫽ 2 18.938* df ⫽ 2
10. Disseminate knowledge of best practices in nursing education and research. 11. Demonstrate proficiency in scholarly writing. 12. Serve as intellectual role models and mentor for students as they learn to become scholars.
33.110* df ⫽ 2 21.475* df ⫽ 2
13. Work as others to promote nursing and healthcare in political or legislative agendas.
7.643* df ⫽ 2
ADN ADN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN
*Significant at the .05 level.
educator is employed in associate degree, baccalaureate, or graduate programs. Differences in job requirements and faculty roles at the 2 types of institutions may account for different views regarding certain competencies. For example, 2-year institutions ranked competencies related to clinical expectations of the faculty role higher, while 4-year institutions ranked competencies related to scholar expectations higher. Based on the high percentage of agreement with the competency statements, the statements should be incorporated as quality indicators of nurse educator performance. Master’s and doctoral programs that prepare nurse educators should use the competency model and statements for development of nurse educator curricula and to shape public policies related to nursing education and regulation. While the validated competencies are broad enough to encompass the expected nurse educator requirements
Additional Findings Further analyses using Pearson’s 2 revealed significant differences between the responses from nursing administrators at 2-year and 4-year institutions in each of the steps in the validation process. Table 3 displays the significant differences between institution types for those competencies ranked as most important.
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Drawn from a competency model, which includes the ideologies, values, and essential core knowledge for nurse educators, the 37 nurse educator competencies have applicability to master’s- and doctoral-prepared educators employed in associate degree, baccalaureate degree, and higher degree nursing programs. However, the amount of emphasis for some of the roles and their related competencies will vary based on whether the 210
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in many different work settings, only educators employed in academic institutions validated the competencies. Therefore, the competencies need to be validated with other groups of nurse educators, such as those working in clinical settings, hospital education programs, and community agencies. Comparing the data would assist graduate programs to further improve curricula for the broadest view of the nurse educator role.18 As the shortage of qualified nurse educators grows, the profession must develop new methods to recognize and improve the status of nursing education as a career.19 One mechanism to promote a positive view of nurse educators is to use the nurse educator competencies as a basis for developing a certification process. A 2-level certification process modeled after the process for nurse administrators is recommended by this task force. Level One certification would recognize entrylevel nurse educator competencies. Eligibility requirements for this certification would include licensure as a registered nurse, graduate of a master’s or doctoral program in nursing with preparation in an area of advanced nursing practice, and nursing education. Level Two certification would recognize the experienced nurse educator who provides leadership for developing, maintaining and improving the quality of educational programs in nursing. Because the amount of agreement was greater for the teacher competencies among the total sample, it may be important to focus the certification process primarily on these competencies. As other specialties in nursing develop competency statements and certification exams, nursing education must also adopt competencies to guide the preparation and evaluation of nurse educators in the future. A competency-based curriculum is an expectation of consumers who demand that educational institutions accept accountability for program outcomes. These competencies may be used by educational programs, by employers, and by certification and accreditation bodies for continuous improvement in the practice of nursing education. Based on the work reported in this article, the task force believes that nursing education will incorporate a competency-based approach to preparing, monitoring, and certifying its practitioners.18 The authors thank the following nurse educators who served on the SREB Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing’s Ad Hoc Committee on Nurse Educator Roles and Expected Competencies: Anna Easter, PhD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Barbara Johnson, PhD, Hinds Community College; Katherine Nugent, PhD, Medical College of Georgia; Barbara Williams, PhD, University of Central Arkansas; and Selma Verse, MEd, Palm Beach Community College. We also thank Council President Linda Hodges, EdD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Eula Aiken, Executive Director of CCEN.
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REFERENCES 1. Southern Regional Education Board Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing. SREB study indicates serious shortage of nursing faculty. Faculty Shortage Committee 2001 Survey Report. Atlanta (GA): SREB, CCEN; 2002 Feb. Report: 02N03. 2. Southern Regional Education Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing. 2002 SREB highlights. Faculty Shortage Committee 2002. Atlanta (GA): SREB, CCEN; 2002 Nov. 3. US Department of Education, National Center. Defining and assessing learning: exploring competency-based initiatives. Washington, DC: US Department of Education; 2002. 4. Davis DC, Dearman C, Schwab C, Kitchens E. Competencies of novice nurse educators. J Nurs Ed 1992;31:159-64. 5. Peterson CJ, Broderick ME, Demarest L, Holey L. Competency-based curriculum and instruction. New York, NY: National League for Nursing; 1979. 6. Bastable B. Nurse educator: principles of teaching and learning. 2nd edition. Boston, MA: Jones-Bartlett; 2003. 7. Mayhew LB, Ford PJ. Reform in graduate and professional education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 1974. 8. Heiss A. 1970, Challenge to graduate schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 9. Kelley J. Purposes of graduate education: An evaluation. In: Graduate education in nursing: issues and future directions; Dec. 2-3, 1980; Atlanta: SREB, 1981, p. 1-8. 10. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nursing practice. Washington, DC: AACN; 1998. 11. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The essentials of master’s education for advanced practice nursing. Washington, DC: AACN; 1998. 12. Southern Regional Education Board. SREB’s nursing curriculum project: summary and recommendations. Atlanta, GA: SREB; 1976. 13. O’Neil E. Nursing in the next century. In: O’Neil E, Coffman J, editors. Strategies for the future of nursing. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 1998. p. 211-24. 14. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. A vision of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education: the next decade. AACN Task Force Report. Washington, DC: AACN; 2002. 15. Kitchens E, Stullenbarger E, Burge, J. Validation of nurse educator competencies by Alabama deans and directors of nursing education programs. Final Report. Birmingham, AL: Alabama Deans and Directors of Nursing Education Programs; 1986. 16. Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing. Expected competencies of nurse educator. Atlanta, GA: Southern Regional Education Board; 2002. 17. Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing. Nurse educator competencies. Atlanta, GA: Southern Regional Education Board; 2002. 18. Aasgaard HS, Johnson KO, Salminen L, Wahl AK. Nurse educator competence: a study of nurse educator’s opinions of the importance and application of different nurse educator competence domains. J Nurs Ed 2002;41:295-301. 19. DeYoung S, Bliss J. The nursing faculty shortage: is there hope? J Professional Nurs 2002;18:313-9.
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As the concern for adequate numbers of well-prepared nurse educators grows, the Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing, an affiliate of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), has developed and validated competencies to guide the preparation of nurse educators. The 37 competency statements reflect the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities that all nurse educators must demonstrate within the roles of teacher, scholar, and collaborator. The competencies, together with the ideologies, values, and essential core knowledge from which the competencies were derived, are vital to guide educational programs preparing nurse educators and for structuring recognition and evaluation processes for certifying, credentialing, and accrediting bodies.
consistent level of quality to the public, to employers, and to accrediting bodies. As the nursing education association encompassing nursing education programs in 16 states and the District of Columbia, CCEN selected and charged an ad hoc task force to identify and validate essential nurse educator competencies as a guide to curriculum development or improvement. The members of the task force were selected based on their experience as nurse educators and administrators in associate degree, baccalaureate, and graduate programs in nursing. The group used the processes of literature review, internal and external consensus-building, and analyses of survey data to derive the 37 Nurse Educator Competencies. The diversity of nursing education work-settings demand an appropriate match between a nurse educator’s knowledge and skills and the needs and goals of particular settings, either academic or clinical. This article describes the ideologies, values, essential core knowledge and competencies that are believed to be necessary for all nurse educators, whether they attain a master’s or doctoral degree, and regardless of the settings in which they will work.
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egional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002 by the Southern Regional Educational Board’s (SREB’s) Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing (CCEN), documented a severe shortage in nurse educators in the southern region.1,2 In response to this shortage, graduate programs began developing new options or expanding existing programs to prepare educators. However, these programs are disadvantaged by the lack of professionally sanctioned competencies as standards for graduate outcomes. The use of professional competencies regarding the knowledge base and skill set for nurse educator graduates will ensure a
BACKGROUND AND MODEL In this time of faculty shortage, clear statements of expected competencies for nurse educator preparation are critical to guide graduate programs in the development of a competency-based approach for the preparation of nurse educators and to provide structure for the recognition and credentialing of faculty. Competence encompasses the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform a specific task at the expected level and degree of quality.3,4,5 Competency-based education has received significant attention at the national level as a mechanism to ensure quality and accountability. A blended competency model provides a guide for the preparation of the nurse educator at the master’s or doctoral level (Figure 1). The competencies to be attained and modeled are demonstrated within the 3 roles of the educator: teacher, scholar, and collaborator.5,6 The blended nurse educator model depicts characteristics of professional education and graduate education which, when integrated with the values of professional
Debra Davis is a Dean at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, Mobile, AL. Elizabeth Stullenbarger is an Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Alabama School of Nursing, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL. Catherine Dearman is a Professor and Chair, Maternal Child Nursing, at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, Mobile, AL. Jean A. Kelley is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alabama School of Nursing, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL. Reprint requests: Dr. Elizabeth Stullenbarger, University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Nursing, 1530 Third Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1210. E-mail: [email protected] Nurs Outlook 2005;53:206-211. 0029-6554/05/$–see front matter Copyright © 2005 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2005.01.006
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laborator competencies. This exercise resulted in the publication and distribution of a document in February, 200216 that incorporated the 35 expected nurse educator competencies and the supporting analyses of professional and graduate nursing ideologies, values, and core knowledge and skills. The report was endorsed by the CCEN, who directed the ad hoc task force to conduct a regional study to validate the identified competency statements.
METHOD
Figure 1. Nurse Educator*
nursing education and graduate nursing education, provide a base for identification of the competencies to be acquired and used by the nurse educator.7-12,14 A listing of the professional and graduate ideologies and values, along with the core knowledge and skills needed within the nurse educator role, are displayed in Table 1.
THE PROCESS FOR COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT A Council on Collegiate Education in Nursing task force of nurse educators representing all levels of collegiate nursing education in the 16 states and District of Columbia used a consensus-building process to: explicate the professional nursing and graduate values for the nurse educator role, delineate the expected roles, determine the competencies for each role, and identify the core knowledge and skills needed within each sub-role. The committee’s work was guided by 3 assumptions: (1) demonstration of the nurse educator competencies should match the mission and needs of the employing institutions; (2) preparation of nurse educators should occur at the graduate level, and (3) preparation for nurse educators should include competence in clinical practice (advanced generalist or specialist). In July 2001, 43 nurse educator competencies, originally developed by Kitchens, Stullenbarger, and Burge,15 were evaluated, updated via a review of the literature and data from a national study based on the original competencies,4 and then categorized into logical groupings that reflected the 3 nurse educator role components. The components consisted of 20 teacherrole competencies, 9 scholar competencies, and 6 col*Reprinted from Nurse Educator Competencies, 2002, Atlanta, GA: CCEN, SREB
Instrumentation The committee developed a questionnaire to validate the expected competencies. The survey respondents were asked to complete a 3-step instrument and (1) indicate agreement with each competency statement for each of the 3 roles, (2) rate the importance of the competency statements as not important, important, or very important, and (3) select the most important competencies. In addition, respondents were invited to submit additional competencies not identified in the original instrument, along with a rating of their degree of importance. Population and Sample Questionnaires were mailed to nursing education administrators at all 499 institutions in the SREB states and District of Columbia and to nursing education administrators of 51 graduate nursing programs (identified through SREB materials) for a total sample of 550. The overall return rate from the mailed questionnaire was 45%. Respondents represented each of the states and the District of Columbia; 45% were from 2-year and 55% from 4-year institutions. Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences Software for Windows was used to manage the data.
FINDINGS Respondents agreed that all 35 statements listed in the original survey were important nurse educator competencies. Agreement values for each competency ranged from 78 –98%. (see Table 2). Next, respondents ranked which of the 35 competencies were “very important” to the educator role. Teacher role competencies, rated very important by at least 70% of respondents, were competencies 5, 10, 12, 18, and 20. Only 1 competency statement “use knowledge gained through clinical practice to maintain and improve nursing curricula” was identified as very important to the scholar role by at least 60% of the respondents. Likewise, only 1 statement, “communicate effectively with peers, students, administrators, and communities, and others to facilitate enactment of best practices in nursing education,” was rated as very important to the collaborator role by ⬎ 70% of respondents. All competencies identified as very important are indicated by the superscript “1” in Table 2. Finally, respondents indicated which of the J
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Table 1. Ideologies/Values of Professional Education and Graduate Education and Core Knowledge and Skills within Nursing Educator Roles* Professional Education Ideology
Graduate Education Ideology
Body of recognized knowledge Method of inquiry A code of ethics A work setting An educational program
Advanced preparation in a field Mastery of a core of knowledge Independent study Active scholarship and research/lifetime inquiry Critical understanding of issues in the field
Professional Nursing Values
Graduate Nursing Education Values
Caring Altruism Autonomy Human dignity Integrity Social justice Lifelong learning
Leadership Open-mindedness Independence in thinking Accountability Competency Interdisciplinary approach
Core Knowledge and Skills within Nurse Educator Roles Teacher Role
Scholar Role
Learning theories Instructional strategies Usage of technology Curriculum and program development Evaluation/measurement Legal standards Mentoring Cultural influence Effective communication
Collaborator Role
Inquiry and research in education Mentoring Awareness of trends, issues, and needs in nursing education Awareness of status of research in nursing practice and education Intuitive, creative, analytical thinking and caring attitude
Leadership, communication, negotiation, organization, systems, change theories Problem-solving/decision-making Legislative/policy development process
*Data from Mayhew and Ford,7 Heiss,8 Kelley,9 AACN,10,11,14 SREB,12 O’Neil13
items they rated as very important were most important. Only 5 of the statements received a ranking of most important (defined as ⱖ 50%) by total sample. These statements in Table 2 are indicated by the superscript “2.”
assessing one’s own need for and participation in professional development. Based on these findings, the committee made the following revisions to the original set of 35 competencies:
Additional Statements In response to an invitation to submit additional items that they felt were not addressed in the core knowledge and values and original 35 competencies, survey respondents submitted 141 additional statements inclusive of values, core knowledge, and competencies. The committee reviewed the statements to determine whether they were included in those areas previously identified by the committee. It was determined that the values and core knowledge suggested by the responses were covered under the original set of statements. However, of the competencies suggested by respondents, 3 themes could not be incorporated into the original set: (1) helping learners incorporate knowledge of diverse patient groups into care, (2) applying legal/ ethical standards in interactions with others, and (3)
1. Two competencies (1 and 3) related to the teacher role were edited to incorporate the theme of helping learners apply knowledge of diverse patient groups in care. 2. An additional competency (7) was added to the collaborator role to include the theme of applying legal/ethical standards. 3. An additional competency (21) was added to the teacher role to include the theme of assessing one’s own need for and participation in professional development.
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The total set of 37 competencies is displayed in Table 2 with the additional competencies indicated by the superscript “3”.17 O
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Table 2. Nurse Educator Expected Competencies Teacher Role
Scholar Role
Collaborator Role
1. Deliver client care proficiently to diverse populations 2. Use appropriate theoretical frameworks and tools to further students’ socialization into the role of professional nursing 3. Help learners use resources effectively in coordinating diverse clients’ healthcare needs 4. Help learners recognize the impact of societal forces on healthcare delivery to individuals and groups 5. Provide clinical supervision for learners*,† 6. Maintain appropriate academic records 7. Incorporate technology into curricula and educational programs 8. Assess the program’s needs for future planning 9. Develop curricula based on the mission, philosophy, and framework of the program and the institution 10. Define instructional objectives and content consistent with overall curricular goals* 11. Organize content and learning experiences according to accepted principles of learning 12. Plan appropriate learning experiences*,† 13. Design instructional strategies, learning materials, and educational technology to achieve learning goals 14. Prescribe appropriate teaching/learning interventions based on analyses of learners’ needs 15. Use appropriate evaluation instruments to assess learning and achievement of goals† 16. Involve learners in selecting, planning, and evaluating learning experiences 17. Use information from program evaluations in planning instruction and improving the process 18. Communicate effectively*,† 19. Enact best practices in nursing education 20. Serve as an intellectual role model and mentor for students* 21. Assess his or her own knowledge and skills and implement plans for ongoing professional development‡
22. Help learners interpret and apply research in nursing practice 22. Use current research findings and scholarly works in nursing to improve nursing education 23. Recognize opportunities for conducting research in nursing 24. Promote nursing scholarship in academic and practice settings 25. Use knowledge gained through clinical practice to maintain and improve nursing curricula* 26. Demonstrate commitment to research 27. Disseminate knowledge of best practices in nursing education and research 28. Demonstrate proficiency in scholarly writing 29. Serve as an intellectual role model and mentor for students as they learn to become scholars†
30. Consult with others within and outside of the discipline 31. Establish strong links among educational institutions, clinical institutions, and the community 32. Use broad frameworks to build effective relationships within and among groups to enhance nursing education 33. Communicate effectively with peers, students, administrators, communities, and others to facilitate the enactment of best practices in nursing education* 34. Work with others to promote nursing and healthcare in political or legislative agendas 35. Explain the nursing curriculum to various constituencies — peers, students, administrators, regulatory agencies, and other health-related disciplines 36. Demonstrate professional and educational values and legal/ethical precepts in interactions‡
*⫽ Those competencies ranked as very important by respondents. †⫽ Those competencies ranked as most important by respondents. ‡⫽ Additional competencies.
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Table 3. Differences Between Types of Institutions: Identification and Ranking of the Degree of Importance of Competencies Higher Importance Ranked by Program
Competency Statements
2 Value
1. Use appropriate theoretical frameworks and tools to further student’s socialization into the role of the professional nurse.
9.243* df ⫽ 2
BSN
2. Help learners recognize the impact of societal forces on healthcare delivery, individuals, and groups.
8.188* df ⫽ 2
BSN
3. Provide clinical supervision to learners.
17.537* df ⫽ 2 9.111* df ⫽ 2 51.567* df ⫽ 2 25.883* df ⫽ 2
4. Maintain appropriate academic records. 5. Help learners interpret and apply research. 6. Use current research findings and scholarly work in nursing to improve nursing education. 7. Recognize opportunities for conducting research. 8. Promote nursing scholarship in academic and practice settings. 9. Demonstrate commitment to research.
31.618* df ⫽ 2 15.492* df ⫽ 2 50.893* df ⫽ 2 18.938* df ⫽ 2
10. Disseminate knowledge of best practices in nursing education and research. 11. Demonstrate proficiency in scholarly writing. 12. Serve as intellectual role models and mentor for students as they learn to become scholars.
33.110* df ⫽ 2 21.475* df ⫽ 2
13. Work as others to promote nursing and healthcare in political or legislative agendas.
7.643* df ⫽ 2
ADN ADN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN BSN
*Significant at the .05 level.
educator is employed in associate degree, baccalaureate, or graduate programs. Differences in job requirements and faculty roles at the 2 types of institutions may account for different views regarding certain competencies. For example, 2-year institutions ranked competencies related to clinical expectations of the faculty role higher, while 4-year institutions ranked competencies related to scholar expectations higher. Based on the high percentage of agreement with the competency statements, the statements should be incorporated as quality indicators of nurse educator performance. Master’s and doctoral programs that prepare nurse educators should use the competency model and statements for development of nurse educator curricula and to shape public policies related to nursing education and regulation. While the validated competencies are broad enough to encompass the expected nurse educator requirements
Additional Findings Further analyses using Pearson’s 2 revealed significant differences between the responses from nursing administrators at 2-year and 4-year institutions in each of the steps in the validation process. Table 3 displays the significant differences between institution types for those competencies ranked as most important.
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Drawn from a competency model, which includes the ideologies, values, and essential core knowledge for nurse educators, the 37 nurse educator competencies have applicability to master’s- and doctoral-prepared educators employed in associate degree, baccalaureate degree, and higher degree nursing programs. However, the amount of emphasis for some of the roles and their related competencies will vary based on whether the 210
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in many different work settings, only educators employed in academic institutions validated the competencies. Therefore, the competencies need to be validated with other groups of nurse educators, such as those working in clinical settings, hospital education programs, and community agencies. Comparing the data would assist graduate programs to further improve curricula for the broadest view of the nurse educator role.18 As the shortage of qualified nurse educators grows, the profession must develop new methods to recognize and improve the status of nursing education as a career.19 One mechanism to promote a positive view of nurse educators is to use the nurse educator competencies as a basis for developing a certification process. A 2-level certification process modeled after the process for nurse administrators is recommended by this task force. Level One certification would recognize entrylevel nurse educator competencies. Eligibility requirements for this certification would include licensure as a registered nurse, graduate of a master’s or doctoral program in nursing with preparation in an area of advanced nursing practice, and nursing education. Level Two certification would recognize the experienced nurse educator who provides leadership for developing, maintaining and improving the quality of educational programs in nursing. Because the amount of agreement was greater for the teacher competencies among the total sample, it may be important to focus the certification process primarily on these competencies. As other specialties in nursing develop competency statements and certification exams, nursing education must also adopt competencies to guide the preparation and evaluation of nurse educators in the future. A competency-based curriculum is an expectation of consumers who demand that educational institutions accept accountability for program outcomes. These competencies may be used by educational programs, by employers, and by certification and accreditation bodies for continuous improvement in the practice of nursing education. Based on the work reported in this article, the task force believes that nursing education will incorporate a competency-based approach to preparing, monitoring, and certifying its practitioners.18 The authors thank the following nurse educators who served on the SREB Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing’s Ad Hoc Committee on Nurse Educator Roles and Expected Competencies: Anna Easter, PhD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Barbara Johnson, PhD, Hinds Community College; Katherine Nugent, PhD, Medical College of Georgia; Barbara Williams, PhD, University of Central Arkansas; and Selma Verse, MEd, Palm Beach Community College. We also thank Council President Linda Hodges, EdD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Eula Aiken, Executive Director of CCEN.
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