A Prospective Qualitative Study Using Behavioral Event Interviews and Situation, Task, Action, and Result Technique: Competency Identification of Nurses at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Nursing competency includes core abilities that are required for fulfilling one’s role as a nurse. Therefore, it is important to clearly define nursing competency to establish a foundation for the nursing education curriculum. Purpose of the Study: This study aims to identify and assess the core competencies required by nurses at a tertiary care hospital, using Behavioral Event Interviews (BEIs) with the situation, task, action, and result technique to enhance patient care and nursing excellence. Methodology: A prospective qualitative study was conducted across all wards of a tertiary care hospital over 3 months. A total of 52 nurses with over 1 year of ward experience were selected using the simple random sampling. BEIs were conducted to elicit the specific examples of critical nursing scenarios, analyzed thematically to identify ten key competencies. Expert validation and statistical analysis, including Kendall’s coefficient of concordance and Chi-square tests, were used to rank and evaluate these competencies. Results: The study identified ten competencies, including clinical expertise, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and service orientation, as crucial for nursing excellence. Statistical analysis revealed significant variations in competency importance and alignment between expert rankings. In-charge nurses demonstrated higher performance in competencies such as leadership and critical thinking compared to staff nurses. Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical role of specific competencies in improving nursing practice and patient care. Targeted training programs, competency-based evaluations, and tailored interventions can address identified gaps, contributing to a culture of nursing excellence. Future research should explore the longitudinal assessment of competency development and its impact on healthcare outcomes.