Anna Marchetti1, Giulia Venturini2, Michele Virgolesi3, Mary Gobbi4, Gennaro Rocco5, Ausilia Maria Lucia Pulimeno6, Alessandro Stievano7, Michela Piredda8, Maria Grazia De Marinis9. 1. Department of Biomedicine and Prevention Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: anna-marchetti@virgilio.it. 2. Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giulia.venturini@uniroma2.it. 3. Department of Biomedicine and Prevention Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: michele.virgolesi@libero.it. 4. Nursing University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom. Electronic address: m.o.gobbi@soton.ac.uk. 5. Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: genna.rocco@gmail.com. 6. Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: lia.pulimeno@uniroma1.it. 7. Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: alessandro.stievano@gmail.com. 8. Campus Bio Medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: m.piredda@unicampus.it. 9. Campus Bio Medico University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: m.demarinis@unicampus.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The European Union Bologna Process has laid the foundation for a common European competence-based educational framework. In many countries, nursing education is in transition from vocational to higher education, with many diverse systems. The competence-based approach provided by the project Tuning Educational Structures offers a common and coherent framework able to facilitate the implementation of the principles underpinning the Bologna Process reform. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to ascertain the relevance that Italian nursing university lecturers attributed to the 40 competences of the Italian version of the nursing Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. These competences were developed through adoption of the Tuning Methodology in the nursing context. SETTING: The study was conducted in the 4 universities of one region of Italy which offer nursing Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 164 Italian university nursing lecturers. METHODS: Using a four point scale, a cross sectional survey was conducted from March 2011 to April 2012. Participants evaluated each competence according to its relevance for Bachelor's or Master's Education. Frequency analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The significance for each competence of Tuning was rated very high by Italian lecturers and appeared to overlap partially with the original European study. In Italy, the most relevant competences for Bachelor's Degree were the skills associated with the use of appropriate interventions, activities and skills in nursing and the skills associated with nursing practice and clinical decision-making. For Master's Degree, leadership, management and team competences were the most important. CONCLUSIONS: The Tuning Nursing Project was accepted by the Italian lecturers. The competence-based approach was considered by Italian lectures as a support enabling to reflect on the current Italian nursing education cycles of study and to ensure shared visions and common approaches between Italian and European lecturers.
BACKGROUND: The European Union Bologna Process has laid the foundation for a common European competence-based educational framework. In many countries, nursing education is in transition from vocational to higher education, with many diverse systems. The competence-based approach provided by the project Tuning Educational Structures offers a common and coherent framework able to facilitate the implementation of the principles underpinning the Bologna Process reform. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to ascertain the relevance that Italian nursing university lecturers attributed to the 40 competences of the Italian version of the nursing Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. These competences were developed through adoption of the Tuning Methodology in the nursing context. SETTING: The study was conducted in the 4 universities of one region of Italy which offer nursing Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 164 Italian university nursing lecturers. METHODS: Using a four point scale, a cross sectional survey was conducted from March 2011 to April 2012. Participants evaluated each competence according to its relevance for Bachelor's or Master's Education. Frequency analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The significance for each competence of Tuning was rated very high by Italian lecturers and appeared to overlap partially with the original European study. In Italy, the most relevant competences for Bachelor's Degree were the skills associated with the use of appropriate interventions, activities and skills in nursing and the skills associated with nursing practice and clinical decision-making. For Master's Degree, leadership, management and team competences were the most important. CONCLUSIONS: The Tuning Nursing Project was accepted by the Italian lecturers. The competence-based approach was considered by Italian lectures as a support enabling to reflect on the current Italian nursing education cycles of study and to ensure shared visions and common approaches between Italian and European lecturers.