American Association of Critical-Care Nurses provides a comprehensive approach to validating competence for nurses new to critical care or progressive care through the AACN Competence Framework, now available digitally via industry partnerships
Key Takeaways:
- "AACN's Competence Framework for Progressive and Critical Care: Initial Competency" from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is now available digitally via industry platforms.
- The Competence Framework provides a comprehensive approach to validating competence for nurses new to critical care or progressive care practice.
- AACN has developed a growing body of evidence-based resources designed to strengthen new nurses' readiness to practice and address the Experience-Complexity Gap.
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – Jan. 15, 2026 – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is making its "Competence Framework for Progressive and Critical Care" available digitally via industry platforms, expanding access for the growing number of organizations moving to digital systems to track nurse competency.
"AACN's Competence Framework for Progressive and Critical Care: Initial Competency" (Competence Framework) provides a comprehensive approach to validating competence for nurses who are new to critical care or progressive care practice. Digital availability allows AACN to support more healthcare organizations as they transition from paper-based tracking to digital platforms.
The framework is part of the association's growing body of evidence-based resources designed to strengthen new nurses' readiness to practice and address the Experience-Complexity Gap, as nursing experience at the bedside decreases and patient needs become more complex.
AACN is collaborating with established competency management platform providers to expand access to the Competence Framework. Healthcare technology companies Xapify and Creative Health Care Insight (CHCI) are the first to be licensed by AACN to add the framework to their platforms.
"AACN's Competence Framework has quickly become recognized nationally for its comprehensive approach, making it an important resource for hospitals, nurses and healthcare leaders," said Herb Williams-Dalgart, AACN Learning Excellence director. "These partnerships help us support the critical transition phase as nurses new to critical and progressive care complete orientation and transition to more independent practice."
Many orientation and competence validation models tend to be too task-focused and don't fully assess nurses' ability to consolidate what they learn and successfully apply it at the bedside.
Instead of task-oriented checklists, the framework outlines the importance of using a core set of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs), as well as a broader set of competencies based on the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care. These broader competencies complement the core KSAs and demonstrate nurses' ability to effectively address the spectrum of patients' needs. Specific performance outcomes accompany each of the eight synergy nurse competencies to help assess nurses' progress against each competency.
"AACN's Competence Framework for Progressive and Critical Care: Initial Competency" can be downloaded at no charge on the AACN website after signing in. A print version of the 41-page document can be purchased from AACN's online store.
A companion piece, "AACN Toolkit for Competence Validation of Nurses New to Progressive and Critical Care," is also available to help implement the framework. It includes materials to help educators teach preceptors about the framework, plus tools for preceptors to evaluate and document progress and competence for the novice nurse.
The framework is among the AACN publications developed to describe the level of practice or performance expected by the nursing profession in order to provide excellent and compassionate care. In addition to "AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments," AACN has published staffing standards for critical care and for progressive care, as well as guidelines specific to clinical nurse specialists, acute care nurse practitioners, tele-critical care nurses, and progressive care and critical care nurses.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: For more than 55 years, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has been dedicated to acute and critical care nursing excellence. The organization's vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. AACN is the world's largest specialty nursing organization, with more than 134,000 members and over 170 chapters in the United States.