Defining registered nurse competence: A contemporary concept analysis

ABSTRACTBackground A robust methodological process to define registered nurse competence is limited across the literature. Aim This study aims to identify the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the concept of registered nurse competence, and to construct and validate a contemporary definition of competence for the registered nurse. Methods This concept analysis is guided by Walker and Avant (2019). The search strategy used terms derived from ‘competence', ‘nursing', and ‘definition' in publications from January 2000 to November 2023. Following article screening, 81 manuscripts met the eligibility criteria. Definitions of the construct of competence were manually extracted from eligible articles. Data analysis utilised Leximancer software. Findings The antecedent to competence for the registered nurse is registration or licensure. The defining attributes are knowledge, skills, capability, and professionalism, while the consequences are safe practice, quality nursing care, and optimal patient outcomes. These terms supported the construction of a contemporary definition of registered nurse competence: A nurse with attainment of full registration who demonstrates the knowledge, skills, capability, and professional attributes to provide safe and quality nursing care that ensures optimal patient outcomes. The definition was validated using contrary and model cases in the Australian context. Conclusion The methodological approach used in this concept analysis to define registered nurse competence is a novel and contemporary innovation that distinguishes this definition from others with less rigour in formulation. The identification of the defining attributes and the constructed definition may be used to inform future practice, education, and research. The validation process provides a template to validate the definition of registered nurse competence in other contexts.