The dissemination and uptake of competency frameworks

Abstract

Clinical competencies are increasingly being used to structure career and clinical progression in post-registration nursing. Competency framework documents have been proposed as a way of supporting competence development. One major national initiative in this respect is the NHS Education for Scotland (NES) competency frameworks which have seen development of over 26 such frameworks dealing with a wide range of nursing specialties. Utilising an initial scoping study followed by a stakeholder evaluation the dissemination and uptake of a selected number of competency frameworks was investigated. Participants in the scoping study (n = 18) and in the main stakeholder survey ( n = 24) from a sample of Health Boards and Higher Education Institutions were recruited. Data were collected by telephone and face-to-face interviews. Within the NHS and HEI's the specified framework documents have a variable penetration. Documents are used to support CPD at the individual and organisational levels. They also inform, albeit in a very limited way, curricular developments in HEIs. The success of framework documents is linked to their timeliness in relation to local and national developments such as service redesign and to whether or not documents were `championed' by committed practitioners or professional groups. Competency framework documents are recognised and utilised by clinicians, NHS managers and Education providers. Information providers and users need to co-ordinate their initiatives in order that staff development links with service redesign.