From Objectives to Competencies: Operationalizing the NONPF PMHNP Competencies for Use in a Graduate Curriculum

In the summer of 2004, the faculty in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) Program at Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing began the redesign of an objective-based curriculum to a competency-based curriculum. The competencies were based on the 2003 National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) PMHNP competencies. This article describes the background and rationale for the curriculum redesign, the transition process, our resulting set of curriculum competencies, associated learning strategies, and some of the barriers and benefits we encountered. It is hoped that this and other articles describing the implementation of the NONPF PMHNP advance practice competencies will promote further dialogue and the development of best practices regarding competency-based education in advanced practice nursing.