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Core competencies and training needs of specialist-nurse clinical educators: a latent profile analysis
Junye Tian1, Meng Zhang1, Lichuan Zhang2
1Nursing Department, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
Background:
The competency of specialist nurse clinical educators is crucial for the effectiveness of specialist nurse training programmes. However, variability in teaching competency and training needs among educators remains insufficiently studied, especially in the context of rapidly evolving healthcare education in China.
Objectives:
This study aimed to identify distinct core competency profiles among clinical educators for specialist nurses, examine associated socio-demographic factors, and explore differences in training needs across profiles.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 3,945 specialist nurse clinical educators from 30 Chinese regions. The Chinese version of the Nurse Educator Core Competency Scale (NECCS) and a self-developed training needs questionnaire were used. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified competency subgroups, while multinomial logistic regression and Kruskal-Wallis tests examined associated variables and training needs.
Results:
Latent Profile Analysis identified three competency profiles: foundational (8.6%), intermediate (43.0%), and advanced (48.4%), with mean scores of 43.89, 68.24, and 91.68, respectively. Educators without prior training were significantly more likely to belong to the foundational (OR = 3.195, p < 0.001) and intermediate (OR = 1.676, p < 0.001) groups compared to those with training experience. Advanced-competency educators showed the highest demand for curriculum design training, with 75% rating it as highly necessary. In contrast, educators in the intermediate group identified clinical teaching methods and techniques as their top training need (58.7%). Those in the foundational group prioritised common pedagogical methods and instructional technologies (54.7%).
Conclusions:
Clinical educator competencies vary by background characteristics and training exposure. Tailored, competency-based training is needed to address these gaps and enhance the quality of specialist nursing education.
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