Competency Framework
The Faculty of Emergency Nursing (FEN) concept was initiated around 1997 with the intention of developing an emergency nursing course at a basic and advanced level (Jones 2021:166). Since this time, a FEN framework has been developed by hundreds of Emergency Nurses, has gone through a few revisions and identifies practice at three levels: associate (AFEN), member (MFEN) and fellow (FFEN). In August 2018, we had completed our latest revision of the competencies and started a journey of developing the competencies into a qualification at all three levels so that emergency nurses could gain academic credits for their clinical work, knowledge and capabilities. We recognised that there were robust programmes available to develop our emergency nurse into autonomous practitioners but limited programmes to develop emergency nurses into rounded competent practitioners (AFEN), sister/charge nurse / clinical nurse managers (MFEN) and consultant nurses (FFEN); so, this has been our focus.
Please note that to be a FEN member, one must be a registered nurse; we may be in a position to consider membership for other members of the nursing workforce at some point in the future.
AFEN. The AFEN competencies framework has been used to underpin the development of nine units, which can be completed as single discreet units or as the qualification: Agored Cymru Level 6 Diploma in Emergency Nursing (Associate Level of Faculty of Emergency Nursing) Qualification which provides 120 academic credits on completion of four units with nine combination options.
The AFEN Education programme which supports this qualification can be joined at any time. It is included in AFEN/MFEN membership and is delivered in weekly 2-hour webinars which are recorded and accessible on our members area of our website 24/7. Please note that there is an extra cost for accrediting for the qualification.
MFEN: The MFEN competencies framework is being used to develop the MFEN qualification, which should be available by Spring 2022. The MFEN Education programme that supports this qualification can be joined at any time. It is included in membership and is delivered in weekly 2-hour webinars which are recorded and accessible on our members area of our website 24/7.
FFEN: The FFEN competencies framework is being used to develop the FFEN qualification, which should be available by Spring 2023. Later this year we will be developing an education programme for this level.
The below files are;
1. Original competency frameworks from which the qualifications at AFEN, MFEN and FFEN are being developed.
AFEN original competency Framework
MFEN Original Competency Framework
FFEN Original Competencies Framework
2. Learning outcomes for the AFEN qualification which is now available to FEN members.
2021 AFEN Learning Outcomes – Core Comps – Psyche – Adult & Older person – Child & Young Person
3.Examples from 4 units of the AFEN qualification depicting the assessment criteria against the learning outcomes.
2021 Learning Outcomes with Assessment Criteria Qualification Excerpts
Please Note- The complete units, combination documents and sign off indexes for the full qualification are available to members only. The above original FEN competencies and our portfolio tools are open for non-members to utilise in clinical practice and as an example of the requirement for AFEN accreditation.