Core and Advanced Competencies of Emergency Nurses: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Competent emergency nurses are essential for delivering safe and effective care in the complex and unpredictable environment of emergency departments (EDs). However, competency standards for emergency nurses vary across regions, creating confusion and inconsistency. This scoping review aims to map and synthesize the literature on emergency nurse competencies globally, identifying both core and advanced competencies across various healthcare settings. Materials and methods: The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology, with a systematic search conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest databases. Articles published between 2004 and February 2024 were screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies involving emergency nurse competencies in EDs were selected, and data were extracted and synthesized into key competency domains. Results: From 21 eligible studies conducted across nine countries, six essential competencies for emergency nurses were identified: clinical expertise, personal performance, communication abilities, professional growth, teamwork, and ethical/legal professionalism. Furthermore, three advanced competencies were highlighted: management and leadership, research and quality assurance, and healthcare delivery systems. The analyzed literature encompassed mixed-methods, cross-sectional, qualitative, and cohort study designs, emphasizing the diverse skill set needed in emergency nursing, ranging from core caregiving to leadership and system oversight. Conclusion: The identified competencies underscore the importance of developing contextually-appropriate competency frameworks, particularly for resource-limited settings. Policymakers and healthcare educators in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can utilize these findings to guide competency-based training and improve emergency care while considering local resource constraints