Charting a Path From the Graduate QSEN Competencies to the New Essentials

Deana Hays; Brittany Hay; Barb Tassell; Cindy G Zellefrow; Kerry A Milner

doi:10.1097/NNE.0000000000001722

Charting a Path From the Graduate QSEN Competencies to the New Essentials

Nurse Educ. 2024 Sep 5. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001722. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Deana Hays¹, Brittany Hay, Barb Tassell, Cindy G Zellefrow, Kerry A Milner

Affiliation

¹ Author Affiliations: School of Nursing, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan (Dr Hays); College of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida (Dr Hay); Lourdes University College of Nursing, Sylvania, Ohio (Dr Tassell); Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus Ohio (Dr Zellefrow); and Sacred Heart University, Dr. Susan L. Davis, RN & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing, Fairfield, Connecticut (Dr Milner).

PMID: 39250765
DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000001722

Abstract

Background: Graduate nursing programs were encouraged to map their curriculum to the Quality and Safety Education in Nursing (QSEN) graduate knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) competency statements.

Purpose: Evaluation of the alignment between the 2009 QSEN graduate KSA competency statements and the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials advanced-level (Level 2) subcompetencies is needed to support curricular transition to competency-based education and the Essentials.

Methods: A team of 5 nursing education experts engaged in multiple rounds of review to seek consensus in determining alignment between the 2009 QSEN graduate KSA competency statements and the 2021 AACN advanced-level subcompetencies.

Results: A QSEN-AACN graduate crosswalk tool was created, which reflects alignment of 34% of the 196 graduate QSEN KSA competency statements to the AACN Essentials subcompetencies at the advanced level. 36% of the graduate QSEN KSA competency statements were found to align with the AACN subcompetencies at the entry level.

Conclusions: The 2009 QSEN graduate competencies are embedded within 2021 AACN Essentials at entry and advanced levels. However, a sizable shift toward entry level is noted, which represents an evolution in expectations for contemporary practice. This holds significance for graduate nursing faculty as they work to revise curriculum and assessments to meet new guidelines and standards for the profession.