Developing anesthesia nursing micro-credentials based on core competencies: a Delphi study

In recent years, advancements in medical technology and a surge in surgical procedures in China have led to an escalating demand for anesthetic nurse services. Nevertheless, the existing quantity of anesthesia nurses in China significantly falls short of fulfilling this requirement. This study aims to develop scientifically rigorous and standardized anesthesia nursing micro-credentials, with the expectation of providing innovative solutions for the training of anesthesia nursing professionals and injecting new impetus into the sustainable development of the industry. Guided by the integrated curriculum design model and based on the core competence index system for undergraduate anesthesia nursing professionals, the initial draft of the anesthesia nursing micro-credentials curriculum system was formulated, through literature review and semi-structured interviews. A panel of experts (n = 13) critically evaluated the preliminary draft to ensure its clarity and rationality. Subsequently, the undergraduate anesthesia nursing micro-credentials curriculum system was formalized through two rounds of Delphi expert consultations (n = 15). The response rates of the two rounds of questionnaires were both 100%, and the expert authority coefficients were 0.913 and 0.917 respectively. The Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was 0.171 and 0.238 (P < 0.001) respectively. Finally, a micro-credentials curriculum system for undergraduate anesthesia nursing was formed, including 5 courses (Fundamentals of Anesthesia Nursing, Clinical Anesthesia Nursing, Pain Nursing, Anesthesia Crisis Event Management, and Frontiers in Anesthesia Nursing), 77 learning objectives, and a total of 182 specific contents. The constructed micro-credentials curriculum system for undergraduate anesthesia nursing is scientifically reliable and comprehensive in content, which can provide a systematic and standardized curriculum framework and implementation path for the rapid cultivation of anesthetic nursing professionals.