Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram.
Table 1
Demographics (n = 19)*.
| n (%) | |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| 2024 | 8 (42.1) |
| 2023 | 3 (15.8) |
| 2022 | 4 (21.1) |
| <2021 | 4 (21.1) |
| Location | |
| USA | 8 (42.1) |
| Canada | 5 (26.3) |
| Oceania | 2 (10.5) |
| Europe | 2 (10.5) |
| China | 1 (5.3) |
| Middle East | 1 (5.3) |
| Research Approach | |
| Quantitative | 6 (31.6) |
| Qualitative | 2 (10.5) |
| Mixed/Multimethod | 2 (10.5) |
| Not described (e.g., description) | 9 (47.4) |
| Professions+ | |
| Nursing | 11 (57.9) |
| Medicine | 6 (31.6) |
| Pharmacy | 4 (21.1) |
| Social work | 4 (21.1) |
| Public Health | 3 (15.8) |
| Psychology | 2 (10.5) |
| Allied health (non-specified) | 2 (10.5) |
| Dentistry | 1 (5.3) |
| Clinician-scientists | 1 (5.3) |
| Midwifery | 1 (5.3) |
| Nutrition | 1 (5.3) |
| Occupational therapy | 1 (5.3) |
| Physical therapy | 1 (5.3) |
[i] Note: USA = United States of America.
* Data includes peer reviewed literature only (all English publications). No data was available for grey literature.
+Studies could include more than one profession.
Table 2
Characteristics of Micro-credentials.
| PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS (n = 19) | GREY LITERATURE* (n = 35) | |
|---|---|---|
| Terminology | n (%) | |
| Micro-credentials | 11 (57.9) | 29 (82.9) |
| Digital badges | 4 (21.1) | 0 (0) |
| Module certificate | 2 (10.5) | 0 (0) |
| Micro (learning) certificate | 1 (5.3) | 1 (2.9) |
| Mini certificate | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) |
| Nano program | 0 (0) | 4 (11.4) |
| Self-paced certificate | 0 (0) | 1 (2.9) |
| Identified skills | ||
| Other job/discipline-specific information | 14 (73.7) | Not reported |
| Transferable skills (e.g., communication, problem solving, time management) | 3 (15.8) | Not reported |
| Not reported | 2 (10.0) | Not reported |
| Median (IQR) | ||
| Length of time in hours | n = 1516 (10.6 – 28.5) | n = 3235 (10.5 – 62.25) |
| Cost (CAD) | n = 7 $0 (0 – 91.51) | n = 28 $514 (218.75 – 905.75) |
| Needs identified by partnerships | n (%) | |
| Health institution employers | 5 (26.3) | Not reported |
| University | 3 (15.8) | Not reported |
| Implied but not defined | 3 (15.8) | Not reported |
| Government | 3 (15.8) | Not reported |
| Industry | 2 (10.5) | Not reported |
| Knowledge users | 2 (10.5) | Not reported |
| Professional Associations | 1 (5.3) | Not reported |
| Is micro-credential co-designed? | ||
| Yes | 11 (57.9) | Not reported |
| No/Not reported | 8 (42.1) | Not reported |
| Details about instructors | ||
| Yes | 8 (42.1) | Not reported |
| No/Not reported | 11 (57.9) | Not reported |
| Modes of delivery | ||
| Online only | 8 (42.1) | 0 (0) |
| Online and synchronous | 0 (0) | 4 (11.8) |
| Online and asynchronous/self-paced | 6 (31.6) | 22 (64.7) |
| Not reported | 3 (15.8) | 3 (8.8) |
| Online and social media | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) |
| Hybrid (online and in-person) | 1 (5.3) | 6 (17.6) |
[i] Note: *Grey literature sources were institutional websites with limited publicly accessible information. Data restricted behind registration portals could not be accessed.
Figure 2
Micro-credential assessments according to Miller’s Pyramid of Clinical Competence.
Note: Peer-reviewed papers could have multiple assessments, so they are in multiple levels (n = 16). Not enough information provided in grey literature to plot in Figure.