The Effects of Self-leadership, Self-directed Learning Competency, and Clinical Competency on Career Adaptability of Nursing Students: Focusing on Mediating Effects of Self-directed Learning Competency and Clinical Competency

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of self-leadership, self-directed learning competency, and clinical competency on the career adaptability of nursing college students. This study also was conducted to explore the mediating effects of self-directed learning competency and clinical competency on the relationship between self-leadership and career adaptability among nursing college students.Methods: Participants were 150 nursing college students. Data were collected from November 1 to November 30, 2020 using self-report questionnaires and were analyzed using frequency, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, multiple regression analysis, and Baron and Kenny’s method for mediation with IBM SPSS 22.0.Results: The regression model explained 64.0% variance of nursing college students’ career adaptability (F = 63.94, p< 0.001). Significant factors were clinical competency (β= 0.40, p< 0.001), self-directed learning competency (β= 0.36, p< 0.001), self-leadership (β= 0.18, p= 0.011), and application motivation (β= 0.11, p= 0.035). Moreover, self-directed learning competency showed partial mediating effects on self-leadership and career adaptability. Clinical competency also showed partial mediating effects on self-leadership and career adaptability.Conclusions: The results suggest that nursing college students’ career adaptability can be increased through strategies aimed at increasing self-leadership, self-directed learning competency, and clinical competency.