Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) refers to an urgent, life-saving intervention conducted in response to cardiac arrest in which nurses play a vital role as primary healthcare providers. The provision of immediate, precise, and skilled nursing intervention becomes imperative when faced with medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest.

The purpose of the study was to describe the nurses’ competence in adult CPR. This study aimed to provide a deeper updated understanding of the nurses’ competence and the factors relevant to competency in adult CPR.

The study employed a descriptive literature review and used scientific search engines CINAHL and Medline. Ten articles were selected for this study based on cited inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inductive content analysis was utilized as the data analysis method.

Findings indicated that knowledge and skills were identified as nurses’ competencies in adult CPR, while relevant factors are work experience, work environment, attitude, emotions, and training. Those who reported undergoing frequent training, and working in different settings exhibited good CPR knowledge, and longer work experience indicated a good indicator of skill competencies. The work environment influenced the application of CPR skills by exposing nurses to varying conditions. Nurses exhibited a significant favorable emotional reaction to successful CPR outcomes.

In conclusion, the study underscored the central role of knowledge, skills, and factors in shaping nurses' competence in adult CPR. Furthermore, this study is valuable for healthcare institutions, enabling them to prioritize the relevant factors identified to enhance nurses' competencies further.