Evaluating the Clinical Competence of Junior Nursing Staff Based on Self-Assessmentin Valiasr Hospital of Birjand in 2015 - 16

Abstract

Background: Evaluating the clinical competence of nurses plays a significant role in managing the care process and determining their educational needs. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical competence of junior nursing staff in Valiasr hospital of Birjand based on self-assessment. Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, all nurses working in Valiasr hospital of Birjand (90 nurses), who qualified with the inclusion criteria, participated. The data collection tool included 2 questionnaires, which consisted of demographic information and clinical competence of nursing (CIRN) that were completed by nurses. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15 statistical software, independent t-tests, One-way ANOVA, Tukey range follow-up, U Mann-Whitney test, as well as Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman tests. Results: The mean score of clinical competence in the nurses was 2.98 ± 0.50. The highest mean was related to the ethical and legal activities component (3.18 ± 0.56) and the lowest mean was devoted to the professional development component (2.89 ± 0.63). The mean score of nurses' clinical competence in general and its components in terms of gender, marital status, age, work experience, location of work, type of employment, and overtime hours was not significantly different (P > 0.05), however, the mean score of clinical competence in interpersonal relationships component for nurses with 2 - 3 years of work experience was significantly higher than nurses with more than 3 years of work experience (P < 0.05). Conclusions: According to the results, reviewing the curricula for improving clinical competence of nurses and applying new educational methods for junior nurses by nursing managers are recommended.