A tiered training program for emergency nurses’ core competencies based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle: A Delphi study

Emergency nursing requires a high level of professional competencies. However, current emergency nursing training in China lacks adequate theoretical grounding and alignment with nurses’ career development. Based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, this study aims to develop a tiered core competencies training framework corresponding to nurses’ professional stages (N1-N4). A mixed-methods research design was employed, incorporating a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and a two-round Delphi expert consultation. A preliminary draft of the training framework was formulated through systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, 18 experts with over 10 years of emergency nursing experience from four provinces across China were invited to participate in two rounds of the Delphi method. A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the importance of each framework item. Consensus criteria were defined as follows: a mean importance score ≥ 4.0, a coefficient of variation ≤ 0.25, and agreement rate (score ≥ 4) ≥ 75%. Expert engagement, authority coefficient, and degree of opinion coordination were evaluated using the questionnaire response rate, Cr, and Kendall’s W, respectively. The response rates for both rounds were 100%, and the authority coefficients were 0.913 and 0.917, indicating acceptable expert authority. After two rounds of revisions, the final training framework consisted of 5 first-level items, 15 second-level items, and 48 third-level items, all achieving consensus. The framework systematically integrated Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle with the competency advancement pathway, covering nurses from novice (N1) to expert (N4) levels. This study developed a preliminary consensus-based framework for a tiered training framework that covers the entire career trajectory of emergency nurses. The framework provides a theoretical foundation for standardized training design and competency certification. However, its practical effectiveness and clinical feasibility require empirical validation in future research. Not applicable.