Expected professional competencies articulated in learning outcomes for novice nursing students in early nursing home placements: a document analysis

Abstract Background Clinical placements are central to the development of professional nursing competence, particularly in the first year of undergraduate education. In many countries, nursing students begin clinical education in nursing homes, where learning opportunities may vary and structured supervision can be limited. Clearly formulated learning outcomes are therefore essential for guiding learning, teaching and assessment. Despite extensive use of competence‑based frameworks and learning taxonomies, limited attention has been given to how professional competencies are articulated and taxonomically positioned in learning outcomes for first‑year nursing home placements. Aim To identify the professional competence areas articulated in learning outcomes for first‑year nursing students’ nursing home placements, and to examine how these outcomes are distributed across cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning domains and their associated taxonomic levels. Methods Learning outcomes formulated in subject plans for first‑year nursing home placements were analysed using a deductive document analysis approach. Outcomes were coded to predefined competence areas and mapped to cognitive, affective or psychomotor learning domains. Each outcome was classified as representing a low, intermediate or high taxonomic level. Frequency counts were used to identify patterns across institutions. Findings All five professional competence areas were represented; however, their distribution was uneven. Learning outcomes related to individualised care, particularly ethical values and communication, were most prevalent and spanned several taxonomic levels. In contrast, participatory decision‑making, cultural humility, evidence appraisal and higher‑order critical thinking were less frequently articulated and seldom positioned at high taxonomic levels. Across competence areas, learning outcomes were predominantly formulated at low and intermediate levels. Conclusion Learning outcomes for first‑year nursing home placements prioritise foundational competencies and safe participation in clinical practice but provide limited opportunities for early development of advanced clinical reasoning and evaluative judgement. Strengthening taxonomic progression in early learning outcomes may better support professional competence development from the outset of nursing education. These findings have implications for curriculum design, assessment alignment and clinical supervision in early health professions education.