How competency standards became the preferred national technology for classifying nursing performance in Australia

Objective The aim of this study was to explore how competency standards came to be the preferred technology for classifying and nursing performance in Australia at the end of the 20th century. Design A genealogical approach to the history of the development of the Australian Nurse Regulatory Authorities Conference (ANRAC) Competencies (1990) is adopted. Setting The setting is Australia during the period of 1975 to 1990. Subjects Data was collected from minutes of ANRAC meetings, including ANRAC Competencies Committee meetings, government reports, a review of the literature on nurse assessment and competence, and interviews with five nurse leaders involved with the competencies development or regulation during this period. Main outcome measure Description of how competency standards came to be the preferred technology for classifying nursing performance in Australia.