Professional competence of practising nurses.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Professional Competence

Background:

• Healthcare systems face challenges in optimally utilizing practicing nurses' competencies.
• Systematic assessment of nurse competence is crucial for effective healthcare delivery.
• Previous studies using the Nurse Competence Scale indicate a good to very good level of nurse competence, increasing with age and experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the quality and frequency of nurse actions across medical, surgical, pediatric/obstetric/gynecological, and psychiatric clinical fields.
• To identify specific areas of high competence among nurses.
• To investigate the relationship between nurse competence, age, and work experience.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional comparative survey design was employed.
• The Nurse Competence Scale was utilized to assess nurse competence.
• Data from 2083 nurses at a Finnish University Hospital were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (ANOVA, Pearson/Spearman correlations).

Main Results:

• The overall level of nurse competence was found to be good.
• A positive correlation was observed between the quality and frequency of nursing actions.
• Nurses in psychiatric settings reported higher overall competence scores compared to other fields. Competence was highest in direct patient care, professional development, and ethical commitment.
• Both age and work experience showed a positive correlation with nurse competence.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms previous findings of good nurse competence levels using the Nurse Competence Scale.
• Detailed item-level analysis provides insights into specific areas of nurse competence, aiding in targeted competency development.
• Competence assessment and targeted interventions are recommended for career development, continuing education, and ensuring high-quality patient care.