Nurses' Self-Reported Professional Competence: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Regional Teaching Hospital in Sweden.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Professional competence is crucial for quality healthcare delivery.
• Understanding self-assessed competence among nurses and midwives is essential for targeted professional development.
• Existing models for competence development require evaluation within diverse nursing roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the self-assessed professional competence of registered nurses, specialist nurses, and midwives.
• To identify background factors associated with professional competence in nursing professionals.
• To inform the development and management of professional competence in nursing.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 615 nurses using questionnaires.
• Assessment included sociodemographic data, the Nurse Professional Competence Scale, and the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale.
• Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, correlation, and multiple linear regressions.

Main Results:

• Specialist nurses generally reported higher competence than registered nurses, except in care pedagogics.
• Being female, having longer nursing experience, and higher occupational self-efficacy were positively associated with competence.
• Nurses without an academic degree reported lower competence in several areas compared to those with a bachelor's degree.

Conclusions:

• Self-assessed professional competence varies among nursing roles and is influenced by demographic and professional factors.
• The Swedish Enhanced Competence Development Model (vKUM) can utilize competence data for effective planning and management.
• Findings support tailored professional development initiatives to enhance nursing competence across different roles.