Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To construct a comprehensive emergency response competency evaluation indicator system for specialist nurses in hemodialysis centers, providing a scientific tool to support their training and assessment. METHODS: The preliminary evaluation indicator system was developed through literature review and expert panel discussions. The Delphi method was employed for two rounds of expert consultation to solicit and integrate expert opinions, leading to the revision and refinement of the indicator system. The final hierarchical evaluation indicators and their weights were determined. RESULTS: Fifteen experts participated in the two rounds of consultation. The expert response rates were 83.33% and 100.00%, respectively, and the expert authority coefficients were 0.92 and 0.95, respectively. Kendall’s harmony coefficients ranged from 0.187 to 0.251 and 0.196 to 0.268 (P < 0.01). The final constructed evaluation system for the comprehensive emergency response competency of hemodialysis specialist nurses comprises 6 first-level indicators, 20 s-level indicators, and 103 third-level indicators. CONCLUSION: The constructed evaluation system for the comprehensive emergency response competency of hemodialysis specialist nurses demonstrates high authority and scientific rigor. It can serve as a robust reference and guide for the clinical practice and emergency response training of specialist nurses in hemodialysis centers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-026-04556-5.