The Association Between Self-Esteem, Assertiveness, and Professional Competence Among Palestinian Newly Graduated...

This study aimed to assess the levels of self-esteem, assertiveness, and professional competence among Palestinian newly graduated emergency and critical care nurses and the association between these constructs.

Nurse shortage is a global issue, leading to the employment of newly graduated nurses in high-stress areas like emergency and critical care units. Self-esteem and assertiveness are essential for high-quality nursing care. There is a lack of studies examining the relationships between self-esteem, assertiveness, and professional competence, particularly among newly graduated nurses in Palestine, where unique challenges exist due to political conflicts and resource shortages.

A cross-sectional design with a convenience sampling method was used to recruit 170 newly graduated emergency and critical care nurses. Data were collected using Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, the Assertiveness Questionnaire, and the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale during the period from July to September 2024.

The participants had moderate self-esteem (M = 21.05, SD = 2.36), moderate assertiveness (M = 77.73, SD = 3.06), and high professional competence (M = 67.28, SD = 14.62) levels. Associations were found between professional competence and self-esteem (r = 0.406, p < 0.01), assertiveness (r = 0.353, p < 0.01), age (r = 0.360, p < 0.01), workplace (p.b.r = -0.225, p < 0.01), and intention to leave the profession (p.b.r = 0.152, p < 0.05). The main predictors of professional competence were self-esteem and assertiveness. Emergency newly graduated nurses had higher professional competence, while critical care newly graduated nurses had higher assertiveness.

Policymakers and hospital administrators should prioritize specific strategies and interventions aimed at boosting self-esteem and assertiveness among newly graduated nurses. This focus will directly enhance their professional competence, capability, and retention, enabling them to better maintain a patient safety culture and deliver high-quality care. Furthermore, correlating factors should be considered when developing and implementing these strategies and interventions to ensure maximum effectiveness.