Background: Nursing education institutions are required to select and train applicants who have appropriate characteristics for delivering effective healthcare. Unlike other healthcare professions and despite the need to attract and select a competent workforce, there has been no comprehensive analysis of the selection criteria and methods used to recruit nursing students. As there is relatively limited prior research available, we conducted a scoping review to explore and synthesise the existing evidence regarding admission criteria and selection methods of nursing students and for the purpose of identifying an agenda for future research in this field.Methods: Our scoping review follows the Arksey and O’Malley five-step proposition including identifying the research question and relevant studies, study selection, tabulation of data, and summarizing and reporting the results. Seven databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, ERIC, SID, Irandoc and PsycINFO) were searched systematically using relevant keywords. Articles on admission of undergraduate nursing students published in both English and/or Persian from 2006 to 2019 were retrieved.Results: Existing research evidence suggests that nursing students are largely selected on the basis of two criteria - “cognitive-academic abilities” and “non-cognitive abilities.” Cognitive-academic abilities were assessed in four main dimensions of mathematics, language and communication, natural sciences and reasoning skills mainly through standardized tests and academic records. Our review shows a wide range of non-cognitive characteristics are evaluated in nursing applicants including: morality, interpersonal communication skills and psychological strength. The selection method most commonly used to assess characteristics was through interviews (panel interviews or multiple mini interviews). Other methods included references, personal statements and personality assessment tools. Conclusions: This is the first scoping review of literature regarding nursing education selection and recruitment. Results can be used to inform nursing education policymakers and institutions in the design of their selection practices. Future research should concentrate on the evaluation and improvement methods of student selection including content and predictive validity analysis of multiple mini interview and standardized tests, development of cost-effective selection methods and job analysis studies to identify specific non-cognitive characteristics for nursing.

Objective: The Nursing Talent Identification self-report Scale is a recently developed to assess the fit of nursing applicants’ characteristics for the profession. In such scales, respondents may perceive items in a variety of ways.The present study aimed to determine how respondents understand and answer to items through cognitive interviews to assess the user-friendliness of the scale and increase its face validity.Results: Through conducting 20 interviews with the participants, problems related to item comprehension, information retrieval, judgment and reporting appropriate answers were identified. Based on the results, out of 95 items, 20 items were modified. The ‘instructions’ section of the scale was also revised by making the necessary explanations and providing an example.

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Introduction: Tools to accurately assess clinical skills are required to ensure nursing students meet minimum standards and to ensure nursing graduates can safely undertake their professional roles. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are frequently used to undertake such assessment.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the OSCE from the viewpoint of key stakeholders; including nursing faculty staff and students.Methods: This study used a cross sectional quantitative descriptive (survey) design. It was conducted on a convenience sample composed of two groups. Group One included a sample of 55 undergraduate nursing students and Group Two included 12 nursing faculty staff from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. It applied two previously validated surveys. Results:The findings showed nursing students had a positive attitude towards the OSCE and evaluated its existence in the nursing curriculum as useful. Faculty staff also had a positive attitude towards the inclusion of this exam in the curriculum and emphasized its importance and necessity. Staff, however, emphasized the necessity of careful implementation of this exam and associated preparation of students for this mode of assessment. Conclusion:This study supports the use of OSCE as a method of competence assessment of undergraduate nursing students that meets the needs of key stakeholders including faculty staff and students.