title: Tuning Nursing Educational in an Italian academic context.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The European Union Bologna Process has laid the foundation for a common European competence-based educational framework. In many countries, nursing education is in transition from vocational to higher education, with many diverse systems. The competence-based approach provided by the project Tuning Educational Structures offers a common and coherent framework able to facilitate the implementation of the principles underpinning the Bologna Process reform.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to ascertain the relevance that Italian nursing university lecturers attributed to the 40 competences of the Italian version of the nursing Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. These competences were developed through adoption of the Tuning Methodology in the nursing context.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in the 4 universities of one region of Italy which offer nursing Bachelor's and Master's Degrees.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 164 Italian university nursing lecturers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a four point scale, a cross sectional survey was conducted from March 2011 to April 2012. Participants evaluated each competence according to its relevance for Bachelor's or Master's Education. Frequency analysis was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The significance for each competence of Tuning was rated very high by Italian lecturers and appeared to overlap partially with the original European study. In Italy, the most relevant competences for Bachelor's Degree were the skills associated with the use of appropriate interventions, activities and skills in nursing and the skills associated with nursing practice and clinical decision-making. For Master's Degree, leadership, management and team competences were the most important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Tuning Nursing Project was accepted by the Italian lecturers. The competence-based approach was considered by Italian lectures as a support enabling to reflect on the current Italian nursing education cycles of study and to ensure shared visions and common approaches between Italian and European lecturers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: anna-marchetti@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.affiliation: Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: giulia.venturini@uniroma2.it.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: michele.virgolesi@libero.it.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virgolesi
authors.affiliation: Nursing University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom. Electronic address: m.o.gobbi@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: genna.rocco@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: lia.pulimeno@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Ausilia Maria Lucia
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pulimeno
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nursing Scholarship, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: alessandro.stievano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stievano
authors.affiliation: Campus Bio Medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: m.piredda@unicampus.it.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piredda
authors.affiliation: Campus Bio Medico University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: m.demarinis@unicampus.it.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: De Marinis
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy
keywords: Italian validation; Nursing competences; Nursing education; Nursing student; Tuning Nursing Project