Professional competency for elder care: perception among professors, nursing students, and nurses

ABSTRACT Objective: to know the perception of nurses, undergraduate students, and professors about the competencies for professional nurses in elder care. Methods: this is a qualitative analytical study developed with six professors, four nurses, and 12 nursing students. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Fiorin’s Discourse technique, with support from the MAXQDA software. Results: the competencies identified included knowledge of theories and general concepts of gerontology, communication, listening, leadership, teamwork, proactivity, respect, and empathy. Final considerations: knowing the competencies contributes to understanding the aging process and qualifying nurses for elder care.