A competency roadmap for advanced practice nursing education using PRIME-NP

Background: Clinical competency validation is essential for nurse practitioner (NP) education and public accountability. While there has been robust discussion around what constitutes clinical competency and assessment, clear and consistent definitions and measurements remain elusive. Purpose: This article describes the PRIME-NP clinical competency model that is scalable, reproducible and accurately documents NP student competency across clinical courses. Methods: To develop the model, work in 5 discrete domains was necessary: (a) model development, (b) assessment tool to be used in Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCE), (c) rubrics to accompany the OSCE exam, (d) faculty education, and (e) evaluating the model use. Findings: Faculty and student outcomes reveal that the model and assessment tool acceptability and effectiveness of the model, especially for early identification for at risk students. Conclusion: The PRIME-NP offered faculty the opportunity to identify at-risk students, identify a more nuanced remediation plan, and assess student competency in simulated environments.