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

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.