Enhancing Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Trainees’ Diagnostic and Health Screening Competencies Through Competency Case-Based Learning (CCBL)

Wilaipun  Somboontanont; Khajornsak  Buaraphan; Kwanjai  Amnatsatsue; Orawan  Kaewboonchoo; Patcharaporn  Kerdmongkol

Authors

Wilaipun Somboontanont Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Khajornsak Buaraphan Institute for Innovative Learning, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Kwanjai Amnatsatsue Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Orawan Kaewboonchoo Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Patcharaporn Kerdmongkol Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

Keywords:

Competency Case Based Learning, Gerontological nurse practitioner, Clinical Reasoning, Mixed-Methods Evaluation

Abstract

Background: Population aging has increased the demand for nurses with advanced competency in geriatric nursing. Competency Case-Based Learning (CCBL) provides opportunities to connect theoretical knowledge with authentic clinical situations; however, its application to competency-based gerontological nursing education remains insufficiently developed. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of CCBL on gerontological nursing competency and to explore how participants experienced the intervention and perceived its contribution to competency development. Design: A mixed-methods, single-group pretest-posttest study. Methods: The convenience sample within a single clinical training cohort consisted of 8 gerontological nurse practitioner trainees. The intervention consisted of a structured CCBL program (3 days per week for 4 weeks,12 sessions total) developed using the Bloom’s Taxonomy. Nursing competency was assessed before and after the intervention across cognitive, psychomotor, and affective/professional domains. Focus-group discussions and reflective accounts were analyzed thematically. Quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated using a Joint Display Matrix to identify convergence, expansion, and discordance. Results: Eight participants completed the study. Overall competency calculated as the composite mean across four measured domains increased from a baseline median of 2.65 (IQR: 2.34–2.89) to 4.81 (IQR: 4.56–4.86) (Z = -2.521, p = .012, r = .89). Qualitative analysis generated five themes: Baseline Understanding, Expected Competency Outcomes, Instructional Process Expectations, Satisfaction / Perceived Value, and; Barriers & Facilitators. Joint-display integration demonstrated convergence between improved competency and satisfaction scores. Conclusions: CCBL may provide a feasible competency-oriented approach for integrating clinical reasoning, multidimensional health screening, clinical performance, and person-centered gerontological nursing practice. Controlled studies with longitudinal evaluation of CCBL in specialty nursing education are warranted.

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