Herma T Speksnijder

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands

Title: Practice-Focused Competency Development for Health Promotion in Nursing

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Biography

Herma Speksnijder (RN, MSc.) is a Senior Lecturer in Nursing Studies at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. She brings extensive experience as an intensive care nurse combined with expertise as a nursing scientist. In her current role, she develops innovative, competency-based curricula for nursing programs while teaching courses in acute care, supervising students in clinical practice, and assessing their professional competencies.

Her work bridges theory and practice, preparing the next generation of skilled, reflective nurses. Passionate about evidence-based education and professional development, she integrates research insights into curriculum design and student mentorship to ensure nursing graduates are ready for the challenges of modern healthcare.

Abstract

Objectives: Health promotion is a core nursing competency that enhances patient outcomes, prevents disease, and improves quality of life. Nurses’ frequent patient contact and multidisciplinary expertise uniquely position them to influence health behaviours. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) emphasizes including health promotion explicitly in nursing curricula. Despite this, a gap remains between theoretical knowledge and clinical application. Integrating health promotion into nursing education positively shapes students’ attitudes and strengthens the effectiveness of future health promotion practices (Hildingh et al., 2015).

Scope: In the Netherlands, the national curriculum framework (BN2030) is structured around the CanMEDS roles, with the Health Promoter as a central component. This project outlines the development of a third-year educational module aimed at enhancing students’ health promotion competencies by linking theory with clinical practice.

Methods: Within the curriculum revision, the Health Promoter role is progressively developed. Learning outcomes are explicitly mapped to this role, ensuring alignment between competencies, teaching, and assessment. Using backward design principles, the module guides students from theoretical understanding to independent application of the Health Promoter role in increasingly complex care situations. Structured guidance and feedback support this progression.

Results: The module promotes stepwise development of health promotion skills during clinical internships. Students are coached in designing individualized prevention plans based on the Integrated-Change (I-Change) model, which synthesizes multiple behaviour change theories. Analyses address lifestyle, behavioural, and environmental determinants. Through coaching, formative feedback, and reflective dialogue, students create tailored prevention plans and present them in a masterclass, fostering peer learning and evidence-based practice dissemination.

Conclusion: This practice-oriented module bridges the gap between theory and clinical application in nursing education. By embedding progressive skill development, coaching, and formative assessment, students are systematically prepared to fulfil the Health Promoter role with confidence, to deliver evidence-based, targeted health promotion in complex care contexts.