Capability and competency: what is the difference?

Capability and competency are related, but they are not the same. 

Competency usually describes whether a person can perform a defined task safely and consistently in a particular context. Competency assessment remains essential for many areas of clinical practice, including treatment administration and technical procedures. 

Capability is broader as it includes the ability to draw on knowledge, skills and previous experience, adapt to unfamiliar situations, continue learning, and respond to complexity. 

That distinction is important in cancer nursing. Treatments, technologies and models of care change rapidly. Nurses need more than the ability to complete today’s tasks. They need the judgement, resilience and learning capacity to respond to tomorrow’s practice. 

AusCaN is a capability framework that describes the knowledge, skills and behaviours that support safe and effective cancer nursing across different roles, settings and career stages. 

This does not mean competency has been replaced. Competency tools can sit beneath the Framework for specific skills. AusCaN provides the broader professional structure that connects clinical care with education, leadership, management, research and innovation. 

By establishing a shared national language for cancer nursing capability, AusCaN supports nurses, educators, employers and health services to strengthen professional development, workforce planning and quality cancer care. Explore the Framework to see how it can support your own practice, team or organisation.