Journal article
Specifications Grading in Nurse Practitioner Education: From Points to Proficiency
Nurse educator
09/04/2026
DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000002319
PMID: 42695664
Abstract
Background: Competency-based nurse practitioner (NP) education requires the demonstration of clinical reasoning, decision-making, and safe application of pharmacologic knowledge.Local Problem: In a graduate NP pharmacotherapeutics course, traditional assessment led students to optimize toward points rather than mastery, resulting in strategic study behaviors, grade negotiation, and diminished clarity about competency achievement.Methods: Specifications grading was implemented over 2 academic years (2025 and 2026) in a doctoral-level pharmacotherapeutics course. The intervention included binary competent/not competent grading at an 80% threshold, grade bundles allowing flexible progression, and a token system providing structured revision opportunities.Results: Course evaluation scores improved substantially across all domains, achieving maximum ratings (6.0) by year 2.Conclusions: Specifications grading shows promise in strengthening competency-based NP education by setting clear expectations, aligning assessments with competencies, and supporting the iterative demonstration of mastery, which improves student perceptions of the learning environment.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Specifications Grading in Nurse Practitioner Education: From Points to Proficiency
- Creators
- Amalia E. Gedney-Lose - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Nurse educator
- DOI
- 10.1097/NNE.0000000000002319
- PMID
- 42695664
- NLM abbreviation
- Nurse Educ
- ISSN
- 0363-3624
- eISSN
- 1538-9855
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Number of pages
- 6
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 09/04/2026
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9985230928702771
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