The efficiency and effectiveness of educational programmes in the occupational field of nursing are only assessable through testing and comparing achieved learning results. In search of an appropriate diagnostic instrument, a comprehensive literature research in German-speaking countries concerning the current state of competence diagnostics in the occupational field of nursing had been conducted. Additionally, a similar research of international, professional journals had been done. The investigations lead to the result that a massive gap exists concerning national and international research of systematic, theoretically and empirically well-founded development of instruments measuring nursing competence. Finally, a conclusion for the development of instruments in nursing competence diagnostics is drawn.