The development of a pre-registration nursing competency assessment schedule (NCAS) for use in Australian Universities

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) require nursing programme providers to identify the developing level of competence of their students as they progress through their eligibility to practice programmes. These competency level statements use the National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse (NMBA 2006). This work builds on the identified skills areas that the profession believes that newly graduating RN's require at the point of registration. A consensus methodology using survey techniques and expert panels reviewed and validated data management and inclusion/exclusion decisions. Consensus was reached regarding the levels of competence within the skills areas that can be reasonably expected of student nurses as they progress through an eligibility to practice RN programme in Australia. Respondents identified the expected level of competency of the student in the skills areas as student nurses progressed through their eligibility to practice programmes. The skills areas were ranked in order of highest levels of expected competency. Across all three years of the programme the results consistently showed that maintaining the patients and client's privacy and dignity; demonstrating behaviour conducive to learning and professional nursing behaviours scored highest. The lowest levels identified by the respondents were case manager, leadership and supervisory skills.