The role performance of public health nurses as clinical instructors in Japan

To investigate the factors associated with the role performance of public health nurses as clinical instructors in Japan.

Newly graduated public health nurses in Japan have competencies that are below the minimum requirements of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare because of their limited clinical experience in undergraduate clinical education. Public health nurses play crucial roles in the clinical practicum and their role performance as clinical instructors is a key to successful learning outcomes.

This study targeted public health nurses in governmental public health centres and those who had gained experience as an undergraduate clinical instructor for nursing students. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a national sample of 1467 public health nurses. Data were collected from July 2011 to September 2011.

In total, 722 of 1467 questionnaires were completed (nurse age 22-64 years). Of the participants, almost half (49%) strongly disagreed (3%) or disagreed (46%) that they had confidence in their role as a clinical instructor, and preparation programmes for clinical instructors had been attended by just 262 (36.3%). Years of experience as public health nurses, previous attendance of preparation programmes, viewing their role positively, professional identity and professional competency were significantly associated with performance. Logistic regression analysis revealed that nurses with higher role performance scores had higher self-confidence, greater interests in their role and higher professional identity.

The self-confidence and interests of public health nurses in their role as clinical instructors as well as their professional identity were found to be significant predictors of their role performance as clinical instructors.

The factors identified in our investigation can be used to predict effective clinical instructors and to develop preparation programmes to enhance their confidence and interests and potentially increase their role satisfaction.