Table 3 Skills areas identified following the documentary analysis of university curriculae

1. Planning of nursing care (e.g. range of varied settings/client’s needs)

2. Understanding the different roles of RNs in different treatment or care settings (e.g. aged care, rural and remote, acute, mental health, etc.)

3. Medications and IV products (e.g. safe and appropriate administration of medications)

4. Clinical monitoring and management - Use of assessment tools (e.g. Haemodynamic/respiratory assessment, MMSE, RUDAS, etc.) all forms of assessment are included here.

5. Technology and Informatics (e.g. IVI management systems, patient information systems, etc)

6. Personal care – ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care of clients across a range of settings using a holistic, comprehensive nursing model

7. Mental health nursing care (e.g. application of assessment tools and care strategies and interventions)

8. Knowledge of key nursing implications of common medical/surgical patient presentations

9. Clinical interventions – preparing, assisting after care (investigations/surgery/diagnostic)

10. Professional nursing behaviours –includes collaborative approaches to care (e.g. advocacy, scope of practice, being aware of one’s self, etc.)

11. Privacy and dignity (e.g. culturally acceptable practice, personal space, respectful)

12. Dealing with emotional and bereaved people (e.g. breaking bad news, dealing with anger, etc.)

13. Dementia related skills (e.g. behavioural and psychosocial symptoms of dementia).

14. Coordinating skills regarding nursing process – uses a range of appropriate assessment strategies and skills across a range of settings.

15. Leadership skills.

16. Preventing risk and promoting safety – duty of care (e.g. strategies for reducing risk, risk assessment, etc. – promoting self-care)

17. Case manager (e.g. coordination of care, crisis/emergency situation management, etc.).

18. Teamwork and multidisciplinary team working.

19. Supervisory skills.

20. Cultural competence (e.g. cross-cultural care, culturally safe and appropriate practice).

21. Therapeutic nursing behaviours/respectful of personal space.

22. Efficient and effective communication (e.g. with professionals in other disciplines).

23. Communication and documentation i.e. verbal including handovers and non-verbal including documentation.

24. Learner/evidence based practitioner (e.g. appropriate application of practice evidence).

25. Critical analysis and reflective thinking (e.g. use of reflection and critical incidents, evidence of linking theory to practice).

26. Demonstrates teaching/educator skills (e.g. utilising appropriate teaching and learning strategies in practice).

27. Acts as a resource.

28. Promotes self-care (e.g. specific gender and lifespan related information and strategies).

29. Demonstrates behaviour conducive to learning (e.g. approachable and supportive).

30. Learning and developmental culture – learning environment (e.g. relates to an environment conducive to learning and personal and professional growth as a new graduate).