Predictors of Core Competencies Among Clinical Instructors in Nursing Management Practicums: A Cross-Sectional Study

Clinical instructors in nursing management practicums play a critical role in fostering students' managerial and leadership competencies, yet limited empirical evidence exists regarding factors that predict their core competencies.

To examine instructional burden, experience in providing instruction on nursing management concepts, and core competencies, and to identify predictors of core competencies among clinical instructors.

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used with 92 clinical instructors from 8 hospitals in South Korea. Validated instruments assessed instructional burden, instructional experience, and core competencies.

Instructional experience showed a significant positive correlation with core competencies. Hierarchical regression identified instructional experience and educational attainment as significant predictors, explaining 39.6% of the variance.

Instructional experience and higher educational attainment are key determinants of core competencies among clinical instructors. Structured mentoring, continuing education, and strengthened academic-clinical collaboration are recommended to enhance instructional capacity and standardize nursing management practicum education.