Clinical Competence in Nursing – an Essential Virtue

Abstract

Background: Clinical competence in Nursing is an essential virtue of Nursing in order to provide safe
and Quality Nursing Care. The study aimed to examine the Perceived Clinical competence of Final year
B.Sc.Nursing Students
Methods: The study was descriptive in approach, performed among 110 B.Sc.Nursing students
in selected colleges of Nursing at Chennai. Simple random sampling technique was used to select
the study participants. The tool had demographic variables and a 3 point Likert scale to assess the
perceived clinical competence. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings revealed that most of them perceived (92.7 %) overall high competence and (7.3%) moderate
competence. The findings in specific areas revealed that in Emergency, 77.3 % perceived high and
20% moderate competence. In perioperative nursing (81.8%) perceived high competence and 14.5 %
moderate competence. In the areas of Administration of Injection, communication and interpersonal
skills, 89.1%, 63.6 % of students perceived high competence respectively. There was no statistically
significant association between perceived clinical Competence and Demographic Variables.
Conclusion: Final year nursing students had reasonably good level of perceived Clinical competence.
Planned training and development programs in addition to the regular clinical experience will enhance
the Clinical Competence and Confidence of Nursing students.