SELF-PERCEIVED CLINICAL COMPETENCE AMONG NURSING STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS: RESEARCH ARTICLE

Abstract

Competencies are essential to nursing as they ensure quality, safety, and health assistance. So, gauging the level of clinical competence is pivotal for their productiveness. Identifying basic practical competencies reflects the ability for patient care in clinical practice. Competencies are the indicators of successful performance in particular situation. Clinical Competencies are the attributes of Knowledge, attitude, and skills. Clinical Competence is an essential outcome of Bachelor of Nursing Programme. According to INC, the revised curriculum embraces competence-based and

Outcome based approach throughout the Programme integrating mastery learning and self-directed learning. Today nursing institutes are expected to produce nurses who are clinically competent in spite being novice to meet the growing health care demands of an aging population, and a projected looming nursing shortage. This study aimed to assess self-perceived clinical competence among Final Year B. Sc Nursing Students. Cross sectional study was conducted by using Convenient sampling technique. Data was collected using pretested self-structured rating scale was used.  Cronbach’s alpha method was used to assess the reliability of the tools and the values found to be highly reliable and was statistically significant. Mean score Competence for Basic nursing skills was reasonably high which was (178+ 20.52), whereas for Core Nursing skills mean score was (80.72+10.33) and advanced nursing skills mean score was (45.54+ 7.95) which is significantly low. Graduating Nurses readiness for Clinical Practice had high competence for Basic skills, whereas for Core and Advanced Nursing skills their competencies were moderate and Low.