Exploring the Development of Professional Competence in Nurse Practitioners in Taiwan

Abstract

Background and purpose: Since the introduction of a certification examination in 2006, 6,414 nurse practitioners have been certified. Few studies of the professional competence of these nurse practitioners have been conducted, and none have been conducted in the past 8 years. The aim of this study was evaluate the development of professional competence of nurse practitioners in Taiwan. Methods: In-depth interviews of 11 nurse practitioners were conducted. Data were collected by purposive sampling. Theoretical sampling and grounded theory techniques were used in this qualitative analysis. Results: The development of professional competence in nurse practitioners included three stages, self-development motivation, professional development working as a nurse practitioner, and experiencing a sense of achievement as a nurse practitioner. The core category was identified as being a mature, competent nurse practitioner. Discussion: During their clinical practice, nurse practitioners should be informed well in advance of inservice training. Development of learning guidelines is recommended to overcome a lack of continuing education in practical nursing areas. Most nurse practitioners stated that they did not receive adequate pre-employment training and that they learned to adapt to practice on their own. Future efforts should include implementation of online courses conducted by experienced nurse practitioners discussing the essential knowledge and skills that individuals should have before beginning work a nurse practitioner or following their transition to practice. The goal would be to help in the development of professional competence.