Self-perceived competence of nurses working in digestive endoscopy units: a nationwide cross-sectional survey

Gastrointestinal endoscopy is an increasingly complex clinical environment in which nurses play a pivotal role throughout the patient pathway. Although international guidelines and curricula clearly define the expected competencies of endoscopy nurses, their competence profile has not been consistently described across healthcare settings, particularly from the nurses' own perspective and across both technical and non-technical items. The aim of this study is to describe the self-perceived competence of nurses working in digestive endoscopy units and to explore its association with individual and organizational factors.

A nationwide multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted among nurses employed in digestive endoscopy units across Italy. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire developed by expert endoscopy nurses based on international guidelines and consensus documents. Self-perceived competence was assessed across ten technical and non-technical items using five-point Likert scales, along with a global self-classification of competence level.

A total of 250 nurses participated. Most respondents self-identified as Competent (45.2%) or Expert (39.2%). Mean competence scores across items were moderate and showed limited variability. Non-technical items were rated slightly higher than technical items (P<0.001), although the absolute difference was small. Years of experience in digestive endoscopy were weakly but significantly associated with specialist technical skills and teamwork/leadership, whereas total professional experience and coordination experience were not.

Endoscopy nurses perceive themselves as generally competent across technical and non-technical items; however, competence levels remain moderate, and associations with experience, education, and organizational factors are modest. These findings support the need for structured, competency-based assessment and training approaches beyond seniority or exposure alone.