Nursing Core Competencies Needed in the Fields of Nursing Practice for Graduates in Nursing

Purpose: This study was done to provide information on issues of nursing core competencies needed in the fields of nursing practice for graduates in nursing, from the perspective of nursing managers, and to make suggestion for improving nursing education programs. Methods: Ten nursing managers participated in this study. They were in charge of clinical nursing education in the fields of nursing practice. Data were collected using focus group interviews and analyzed with the content analysis methodology of Downe - Wamboldt's. Results: Six types of nursing core competency - therapeutic nursing competency, professional nursing competency, administrative nursing competency, humanistic nursing competency, relational nursing competency, and personal nursing competency - were identified as nursing core competencies needed in the fields of nursing practice for graduates in nursing. Conclusion: Results of the study show important evidence for decision-making about nursing curriculum revision based on nursing core competency, both in the classroom and in nursing practice areas. These results should contribute to the development of evaluation indicators for nursing students or new nurses. Further research is required to measure degree of nursing core competency in graduates of nursing and to identify the effect of competency-based education for improving nursing core competency.