An example of evaluation of tuning nursing competences in the licensure exam: An observational study

Introduction The licensure exam in nursing has always focused on the curricula used in universities. ‘Tuning’ was the first project that sought to harmonize training purposes regarding competences and learning outcomes in Europe. The Tuning educational structures have been offered in various disciplines, including nursing with the development of the Tuning Nursing Project. The study describes which of 47 Tuning Nursing Competences were evaluated during the licensure exam in nursing degree courses, and what types of trials were used for their assessment. Methods A multicentric observational study was conducted in 4 universities in Italy. Data were collected in academic years 2017–2019, using two grids: one for cognitive and one for psychomotor tests. Results The Tuning competences were requested 7522 times. The most frequently demanded were those associated with domain number two, “Nursing practice and clinical decision making”. The level of performance most required in cognitive tests was the autonomy of judgement, and both tests concerned the fields of non-communicable diseases and the hospitalized adult patient. Conclusions The competences most often assessed coincided with those deemed core for the first cycle of studies at the European level. Unfortunately, it has been detected a high degree of discrepancy in the types of tests used in different schools.