Competency-based model needed for clinical rotations, researchers say

Nursing educators should redirect clinical education to documented competence instead of hours completed to better judge practice readiness, states a Nursing Outlook article authored by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. The authors maintain a competency-based model for clinical rotations would be “more transparent, adaptable and equitable” and “better aligns nursing education with contemporary health care delivery.” They note students assigned to the same rotation could encounter different learning situations due to varying patient acuity, unit culture, staffing patterns and preceptor skill and availability, making total hours an unreliable measure of what students have learned. The authors call for more simulation-based experiences to supplement clinical rotations, individualized preceptorships and electronic-competency tracking systems to make expectations visible and to document performance across clinical sites. (Nursing Outlook article, 4/13/26)