Nurse Professional Competence Research Articles

Self-reported competence among advanced practice nursing students in Denmark, Finland and Norway: a cross-sectional multicentre study.

The health care systems in the Nordic countries and worldwide are under pressure due to increased longevity and a shortage of nurses. Providing nurses with a high level of education, such as advanced practice nursing, is of great importance to ensure effective, safe and high-quality care. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported competence using the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short-Form for the first time among master's students of advanced practice nursing in the Nordic countries and to relate the findings to age, work obligations, child-rearing responsibilities, level of education and clinical nursing experience. A multicentre, cross-sectional design was used in this study conducted at five universities in Denmark, Finland and Norway. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short-Form consisting of six competence areas was used with a maximum score of 7 per item for the analysis of single items and a transformed scale from 14.3 to 100 for analysing the competence areas (higher score equals higher self-reported competence). Descriptive and comparative statistics were used to analyse the data. The highest mean score was found for the competence area 'Value-based nursing care'. Students living with home-dwelling children (≤ 18 years) reported significantly higher competence in 'Nursing care', while students ≥33 years reported significantly higher competence in 'Nursing care' and 'Value-based nursing care'. No significant differences were found between students working and those not working alongside their studies, between students with and without further nursing-related education, or between students with long and short experience as nurses. The findings from this study might help to further develop curricula in advanced practice nursing master's programmes to ensure high-quality nursing and sustainable health care in the future. Future high-quality master's programmes might benefit from systematic collaboration between Nordic higher education institutions as also Sweden is planning master's programme. Higher age, having children at home and working while studying should not be considered causes for concern.

Psychometric Validation of the Nursing Professional Competence Scale Among Italian Nurses and Albanian Nursing Students.

Background and Purpose: The main aim of this study has been the psychometric validation of an Italian translation of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form (I-NPCS-SF), testing its validity and reliability. Methods: A multiphase design was used for the I-NPCS-SF translation and psychometric validation: (a) cultural and linguistic validation, (b) content and face validity, and (c) construct validity. Results: The I-NPCS-SF showed adequate linguistic translation, cultural adaptation, and content validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor structure of the I-NPCS-SF, in explaining data obtained from nurses and nursing students. Conclusions: The I-NPCS-SF demonstrated evidence of validity and reliability in measuring four professional competencies. Having an appropriate tool to be applied in the Italian context for professional competence self-assessment constitutes an essential step in measuring professional competencies.

Translation, validation and psychometric properties oftheAlbanian version of the Nurses Professional Competence Scale Short form.

The primary aim of this study was the translation and psychometric validation of the Albanian Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (A-NPCS-SF) for further application in Albanian healthcare settings. The multiphase design used to develop the A-NPCS-SF comprised (1) cultural and linguistic validation, (2) content and face validity, and (3) construct validity. The A-NPCS-SF showed adequate content validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the six-factor structure of the A-NPCS-SF to explain the data obtained from the nurses. The A-NPCS-SF showed evidence of validity and reliability in measuring four professional competencies. Having an appropriate scale in Albanian for professional competence self-assessment by nurses constitutes an essential step in measuring these competencies. (www.actabiomedica.it).

An Observational Cross-Sectional Study on the Correlation between Professional Competencies and Self-Efficacy in Albanian Registered Nurses.

(1) Background: The assessment and application of registered nurses' professional skills are essential to providing quality and safe care. Self-efficacy can positively affect the professional competence of registered nurses. This study analysed professional competence and its association with self-efficacy among registered nurses. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The sampling was conventional. The data collection took place through the Albanian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (A-NPCS-SF), which was used to assess their professional skills, and the Albanian version of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale (A-NPSES), which was used to assess their self-efficacy. The study was based on a convenience sample of 985 registered nurses from the 12 Albanian provinces. (3) Results: The Cronbach alpha value for the A-NPCS-SF scale was 0.947, while for the A-NPSES scale, it was 0.875, proving both scales to be reliable. Self-efficacy does not play an essential role in the development of the professional competence of registered nurses since our survey found only one dimension correlates with these two elements. (4) Conclusions: The results of our analysis have instead highlighted the importance of a close relationship between job satisfaction and the development of professional skills.

Emergency care nurses’ self-reported clinical competence before and after postgraduate education - a cross-sectional study

Changing prerequisites in healthcare leads to the increased complexity of nursing. Since there are no regulations on re-validation of competencies for emergency nurses in Sweden there is sparse knowledge on how nurses develop competencies after registration as nurses (RN). Aim: To describe self-reported professional competence after postgraduate education among RNs in emergency care settings. Method: A cross-sectional design and STROBE guidelines were used. The short version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale was used for data collection and the data were collected before and after postgraduate education, descriptive and comparative statistic was used for analysis. Results: 62 (71%) students participated in the first data collection and an independent group of 31 (48%) students participated in the second data collection. The results showed generally good competencies before entering education and significantly improved competencies after education were found in areas of working independently and reviewing literature for evidence-based nursing Conclusion: The competencies were assessed as very good after education. Evaluating nurses' competencies supports educators in developing education to ensure the need for knowledge in emergency care. To ensure required competencies among emergency care nurses there is a need to regulate additional training and re-validation of emergency nurses’ competencies.

Psychometric testing of the nurse professional competence scale Arabic version: An exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses

AimTo translate the Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form English version into Arabic and psychometrically validate its properties among Saudi citizen nurses. BackgroundEvaluating nurses' professional competence is vital in delivering safe, cost-effective care and developing healthcare systems. However, psychometrically reliable and validated nurse competence scales in Arabic-speaking countries remain scant. DesignA descriptive cross-sectional design adhering to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. MethodsParticipant nurses (n = 598) were conveniently recruited from four government-owned hospitals and completed the Arabic-translated 35-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form. We used Spearman’s rank-order correlation, exploratory factor analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test, and confirmatory factor analysis to analyze the data. ResultsAfter exploratory factor analysis and reliability analyses, several items of the Arabic-translated 35-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form were omitted due to high inter-item correlations and low factor loading difference. The Arabic version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form was reduced to 21 items, consisting of a three-factor structure: Professional Care Pedagogics, Holistic Value-Based Care, and Direct Nursing Care. Results also demonstrated that the revised three-factor structure had good overall scale reliability, good subscale internal consistencies, and acceptable construct validity using the confirmatory factor analysis. ConclusionThe 21-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form Arabic version is a useful scale, having demonstrated construct validity and reliability. Therefore, nurse managers in Arabic-speaking nations could assess their nurses' professional competence using the 21-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form Arabic version to develop proactive programs that enhance professional competence.

The influence of professional competency, professional commitment, and nursing organizational culture on the person-centered practice of nurses in long-term care hospitals: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the influence of professional competency, professional commitment, and nursing organizational culture on the person-centered practice of nurses in long-term care hospitals. Methods: A total of 131 nurses in seven long-term care hospitals in Daegu city and Kyeongsang province participated in the study. Professional competency, professional commitment, nursing organizational culture, and person-centered practice were measured using the Nurse Professional Competence Short-Form, Professional Commitment Questionnaire, Nursing Organizational Culture scale, and Korean Measure of Person-Directed Care. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Nurses in long-term care hospitals had mean scores of 4.77±0.84 for professional competency and 4.27±0.89 for professional commitment out of a 1~7 scale and 3.45±0.44 for person-centered practice out of a 1~5 scale. Regarding nursing organizational culture, nurses had the highest score in relation-oriented organizational culture and the lowest score in task-oriented culture. Nurses’ professional competency (β=.59, p<.001) and innovation-oriented culture (β=.36, p<.001) were the factors influencing person-centered practice, which explained the variance of 52.5%. Conclusion: To improve person-centered practice in long-term care hospitals, it is necessary to implement strategies for improving nurses’ professional competency and innovation-oriented nursing organizational culture.

Moral courage, burnout, professional competence, and compassion fatigue among nurses.

Moral courage is the ability to defend and practice ethical and moral action when faced with a challenge, even if it means rejecting pressure to act otherwise. However, moral courage remains an unexplored concept among middle eastern nurses. This study investigated the mediating role of moral courage in the relationship between burnout, professional competence, and compassion fatigue among Saudi Arabian nurses. Correlational, cross-sectional design following the STROBE guidelines. Convenience sampling was used to recruit nurses (n = 684) for four government hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Four validated self-report questionnaires (Nurses' Moral Courage Scale, Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short Form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Nurses Compassion Fatigue Inventory) were used to collect data between May to September 2022. Spearman rho and structural equation modeling analyses were employed to analyze the data. The ethics review committee of a government university in Ha'il region, Saudi Arabia, approval this study (Protocol no.: H-2021-012; Approved: 08/022,021). Participants were fully explained the study aims, and consent was voluntarily secured. The emerging model showed that burnout had a direct and positive influence on compassion fatigue, while professional competence had a direct, negative effect on compassion fatigue. Moral courage had a small and direct but negative influence on compassion fatigue. Mediation analyses also indicated that moral courage significantly mediated the indirect effects of burnout and professional competence on compassion fatigue. Moral courage can be a crucial aspect in preserving the psychological and mental health of nurses, particularly under stressful conditions. Therefore, it is advantageous from an organizational and leadership standpoint to implement measures such as programs and interventions to foster moral courage among nurses.

Nursing Students' Self-rated Nurse Professional Competence at the End of an International Collaborative Education Program and Follow-up 1 Year Later.

International collaborative programs and student active learning are encouraged; yet, little is known about them. To compare nursing students' self-rated nurse professional competence (NPC) and general self-efficacy between those enrolled in an international collaborative program, which focused on student active learning, and those enrolled in a traditional lecture-based program at the end of graduation and 1 year later. This prospective comparative study distributed a questionnaire to 137 nursing students enrolled in the 2 bachelor-level programs at a university in southeastern China. At the end of graduation, students enrolled in the international collaborative program reported higher scores for NPC factors, medical and technical care and general self-efficacy, than those enrolled in the traditional lecture-based program. One year later, they reported higher scores for total NPC, value-based nursing care, medical and technical care, care pedagogics, documentation and administration of nursing care, and general self-efficacy than others. This study found that the nursing students enrolled in the international collaborative program reported higher self-rated competence.

Factors Related to Nursing Students’ Competence in Pandemic Situation

Due to the epidemic, nursing students were barred from practising in hospitals throughout their co-assistance phase. A comprehensive examination of their perceptions of their skills throughout this period will help enhance education, eliminate gaps, and produce well-trained nurses. Therefore, this study examines co-assistant nursing students' perspectives on their competency and the factors that influence it. The research method was a correlational survey approach. There were 297 co-assistant nursing students chosen as a sample using a consecutive sampling technique from 1085 co-assistant nursing students who were registered at PD-DIKTI. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (NPCS-SF), which has 35 items, was used to measure the clinical competence of respondents. Bivariate analysis used the Chi-Square test with a 95% confidence interval, while multivariate analysis used Logistic Regression. From the research process, this study found that most respondents perceive that they are less competent in learning during this pandemic (71.4%). It also can be concluded that respondents' satisfaction with learning methods and facilities is significantly related to students' competence (<0.05). Based on the value of OR, respondents who are satisfied with the learning method during the pandemic will be 1.7 times the opportunity to be competent compared to those who do not. From the logistic regression results, only the respondents' satisfaction with learning facilities during the pandemic significantly affected their perceptions of their competence. In conclusion, the clinical competence of co-assistance nursing students is strongly influenced by the learning facilities they get. Pandemic conditions cause students to not be facilitated optimally at a hospital or other clinical settings, ultimately reducing their confidence in the competencies experienced.

The Arabic Nurse Professional Competence-Short Version Scale (NPC-SV-A): Transcultural Translation and Adaptation with a Cohort of Saudi Nursing Students.

There is broad consensus that assessing and improving the competence of nurses is a crucial element of nursing education and practice. Numerous national and international nursing research studies have used the 35-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC-SV) to measure the self-reported competence of nursing students and registered nurses. To increase its usage in Arabic-speaking nations, however, a culturally adapted Arabic version of the scale with the same level of quality was necessary. The study aimed to develop a culturally adapted Arabic version of the NPC-SV and evaluate its reliability and validity (construct, convergent, and discriminant types). Methodological descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized. A convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit 518 undergraduate nursing students from three Saudi Arabian institutions. The translated items were appraised by a panel of experts, who considered the content validity indexes. The structure of the translated scale was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and the Analysis of Moment Structure method. When utilized with nursing students in Saudi Arabia, the Arabic short version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC-SV-A) was shown to be reliable and valid in terms of its content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. Cronbach's alpha for the entire NPC-SV-A scale was 0.89 and varied from 0.83 to 0.89 for each of the six subscales. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed six significant factors with 33 items that accounted for 67.52 percent of the variance. The scale was congruent with the suggested six-dimensional model, as confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Arabic version of the NPC-SV, which was reduced to 33 items, showed good psychometric properties, with a six-factor structure accounting for 67.52% of the total variance. When used alone, this 33-item scale can allow for more in-depth evaluations of self-reported competence among nursing students and licensed nurses.

Socialization in professional reality integration for nursing student transition (SPRINT) to improve professional competence: A quasi-experimental study

BackgroundProfessional socialization could support competency achievement and assist the transition phase. It is rare to find quantitative studies examining the effects of professional socialization for nursing students (NS). ObjectivesTo investigate the effects of a socialization in professional reality integration for nursing student transition (SPRINT) to improve the professional competence of undergraduate NS in Indonesia. DesignA quasi-experimental study non-equivalent control group pre-test post-test design was conducted using convenience sampling. ParticipantsOne hundred twenty NS (60 participants in the experimental group and 60 participants in the control group) from two nursing departments in private universities in Indonesia. MethodsThe SPRINT educational intervention consisted of professional socialization training using several learning methods and activities. Meanwhile, the control group received conventional socialization. The Nurse Professional Competence short-form (NPC-SF) scale was evaluated prior to the participants’ internship program, lasting from 6 to 12 weeks after clinical education in both groups. ResultsSPRINT intervention significantly increased overall professional competence scores of the experimental groups higher than the control group. By comparing the mean scores in three times measurement, the six competency areas mean score increased significantly for the experimental group while, for the control only three areas of competence increased in twelve week post-test. ConclusionA “SPRINT” as an innovative educational program developed in collaboration with academia, clinical preceptors, could improve professional competence. It is recommended to implement SPRINT program to assist the smooth transition from academic into clinical education.

Factors associated with changes in students’ self-reported nursing competence after clinical rotations: a quantitative cohort study

BackgroundThe quality of nursing care in different healthcare contexts can be associated with the level of available nursing competence. Physical assessment skills are vital in nurses' assessment of patient care needs. However, in nursing education, using physical assessment skills is challenging for nursing students who struggle to apply these skills comprehensively in a clinical rotation. Therefore, this study explores changes in nursing competence, factors associated with changes after clinical rotations, and whether a Suite of Mobile Learning Tools supports changes in confident use of basic physical assessment skills.MethodsA quantitative cohort study with an explorative pre-and post-test design. During autumn 2019 and spring 2020, 72 s-year nursing students and 99 third-year students participated in the study. The Nurse Professional Competence scale short form was used to investigate students’ self-reported changes in nursing competence, and a study-specific questionnaire was used to investigate students’ confidence concerning performing physical assessments. The students voluntarily used the Suite of Mobile Learning Tools for the learning of physical assessment. Linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with changes in nursing competence after clinical rotation. The STROBE guidelines for cohort studies were followed for study reporting.ResultsAfter the clinical rotation, both student groups reported changes in nursing competence and confidence in performing physical assessment skills, with statistically significant moderate or large changes in all areas. The Suite of Mobile Learning Tools was evaluated as being useful for learning physical assessment. The regression analysis showed that confidence in performing physical assessment skills, the usefulness of the Suite of Mobile Learning Tools, and a higher nursing competence at the start of clinical rotation were positively associated with overall nursing competence.ConclusionBasic physical assessment skills are an important component of nursing competence and can be considered one of the pillars of person-centered care, as proposed by the Fundamentals of Care framework. Spaced repetition and access to digital resources are suggested pedagogical approaches to enhance student confidence in the use of assessment skills within academic and clinical contexts.

The nurse professional competence scale: Self-reported professional competence among newly graduated nursing students in Saudi Arabia

Background: Nursing students should develop sufficient professional competence during their nursing education as a prerequisite for providing safe care of high quality utilizing a holistic approach that suits the caring context of their patients. Despite the abundance of studies on professional competence in international literature such as the Scandinavian countries, there are no studies conducted in the Middle East in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular. Aim: The current report is part of a larger study that assessed the self-reported professional competence of newly graduated nursing students in Saudi Arabia. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional correlational study was carried out with a convenience sample of 317 senior Saudi students at the point of graduation from a nursing college affiliated with a public university in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Data was collected using the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale – a short version consisting of 35 items and the 10-item General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale. Statistical Analysis: The mean scores were calculated for the competency areas, and the median score and interquartile were used for nonparametric variables that were not normally distributed (Shapiro–test). The Chi-square test for data between groups, the Kruskal–Wallis test for comparing more than two independent groups, and Mann–Whitney U-test for comparing two independent groups. In addition, Spearman correlation coefficients to test correlations between groups and the NPC Scale. Results: Students scored highest in the competence areas of nursing care, value-based nursing care, and care pedagogics and lowest scores in the areas of documentation and administration of nursing care, development, leadership and organization of nursing care, and medical and technical care. Professional competence was significantly associated with students' quality of health and GSE. Conclusion: It is important to incorporate competencies in the nursing program and to assess newly graduated students' competence upon graduation. We suggest a follow-up study of these graduates to assess the development of professional competencies and self-efficacy across their internship years.

Psychometric evaluation of the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (NPC–SF–AUT)

Background and objective: The continuous assessment of nursing competence is internationally established and an important task in the further development of professional nursing. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form is a potentially appropriate instrument to assess the competence of Austrian Registered Nurses (RN). However, the translated and Austrian-specific culturally adapted version of the scale has not yet been sufficiently psychometrically tested. The aim of this study was to test the validity and internal consistency of the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form.Methods: We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study. Between October 2021 and January 2022, Registered Nurses from a total of 16 hospitals were invited to assess their competencies using the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form. Principal axis factor analysis with Promax rotation was performed to test construct validity. Both Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald’s Omega coefficients were used to evaluate internal consistency.Results: Data from a total of 576 Registered Nurses were included in the psychometric evaluation. Both the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (KMO = 0.958) and the significant Bartlett test (χ2 = 12430.988; df = 595; p < .001) indicated appropriate fit of the data for factor analysis. Using principal axis factor analysis with Promax rotation, five factors were extracted, explaining a total of 60.5% of the variances. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form German Austrian language version (NPC–SF–AUT) thus comprises 35 items representing the five factors “Health promotion and safeguarding” (13 items), “Multi-professional cooperation and development” (7 items), “Process-guided nursing care” (5 items), “Inclusive decision-making” (5 items) and “Rule-governed professional practice” (5 items). Both the factor-specific Cronbach’s Alpha and McDonald’s Omega coefficients confirmed good to excellent (α = 0.83-0.92; Ω = 0.83-0.92) internal consistency of the NPC-SF-AUT.Conclusions: The NPC–SF–AUT is a valid and internal consistent instrument for the self-assessment of RNs’ competence in Austria. The instrument can be used for the continuous assessment of nursing competence and thus contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession.

A Multisite Assessment of Saudi Bachelor Nursing Students' Perceptions of Clinical Competence and Learning Environments: A Multivariate Conceptual Model Testing.

Background: It is thought that students' perceptions of educational and clinical learning environments improve the effectiveness of curricula and professional standards. It is essential to examine the educational and clinical learning environments in which nursing students learn, as well as how nursing students evaluate particular factors of these environments. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) identify nursing students' perceptions on professional competence and learning environments in the classroom and clinical settings and (2) test a hypothetical model of variables that influence and predict students' perceptions of learning environments and professional competencies. Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional methodological design. Five hundred and eighteen undergraduate nursing students were recruited from three Saudi Arabian universities using a convenient sampling technique. Using valid and reliable self-reported questionnaires, including the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM), the modified Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI), and the Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short (NPCS-SF), data were collected. Results: Perceptions of professional competence and learning environments were positive among nursing students. With satisfactory fit indices, the final model found that students' perceptions of clinical competence were significantly predicted by their perceptions of the clinical environment (B = 0.43, p < 0.001), students' perceptions of university environments (B = 0.29, p < 0.001), ward type (B = 0.12, p < 0.001), and students' year of study (B = 0.11, p < 0.001). The students' perceptions of clinical environments were significantly predicted by their perceptions of the university environment (B = 0.31, p < 0.001), gender (B = 0.13, p < 0.001), students' year of study (B = 0.12, p < 0.001), and ward type (B = 0.11, p < 0.001). Moreover, the students' perceptions of the university environment were significantly predicted by gender (B = 0.11, p < 0.001) and length of training (B = 0.12, p < 0.001). Conclusions: A range of factors might influence students' perceptions of their professional competence and learning environments. Improving the learning environments and clinical experiences of students could enhance their clinical competence. This study's findings provide evidence for how to enhance the learning environments in the classroom and clinical settings in order to improve students' clinical competence, which will ultimately result in better patient outcomes. It is a top priority for nursing educators all around the world to improve classroom and clinical learning settings that foster students' learning and professional competencies.

Evaluation of Austrian nurses’ competence and factors related to it: An exploratory cross-sectional study

Background and objective: The continuous assessment of Registered Nurses' (RNs') competence is important at individual, organizational and systemic levels. Qualifications, the professional working environment as well as experience influence nursing competence. Nursing has significantly changed over the last 25 years in Austria, but RNs’ competence has not been evaluated so far. The aim of the study was to assess nursing competence of Austrian RNs, considering relevant influencing factors.Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted. Between October 2021 and February 2022 a total of 841 RNs from 16 Austrian hospitals self-assessed their nursing competencies using the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (NPC-SF-AUT). Multiple subgroup analyses with regard to theoretically reasonable influence factors on nursing competence were performed to explore differences in the extent of RNs’ competence.Results: Competencies in scale factors Multi-professional development and cooperation as well as in Health promotion and safeguarding were found as lowest. The overall work experience as well as further education and training had a significant influence on nursing competence, whereas the type of nursing education (vocational vs. higher education), the professional understanding of nursing care and the type of medical discipline did not.Conclusions: Appropriate structures must be implemented to ensure the development and application of Austrian RNs’ basically acquired competencies in practice.

Transcultural adaptation and validity of the nurse professional competence scale Korean version for graduating nursing students: An explanatory factor analysis.

The study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the short-form Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Korean version (NPC-K) among Korean nursing students at the point of graduation. This was a cross-sectional survey. The Nurse Professional Competence scale was translated into Korean using the World Health Organization (WHO) translation method. A total of 195 graduating nursing students participated. Exploratory factor analysis for validity and Cronbach's alpha coefficients for reliability were examined. Factor analysis showed that five NPC-K factors accounted for 68.38% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.97. The NPC-K has high internal reliability and acceptable construct validity. The content of the scale reflected nursing students' confidence in formal competence requirements based on Korean cultural and educational backgrounds. An accurate assessment of nurse professional competence using the NPC-K may help nursing academics enhance the quality of education and training.

Self-reported Professional Competence Among Swedish Contact Nurses in Cancer Care: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Since 2011, patients in Swedish cancer care have been offered a contact nurse (CN). The CN role is to improve patient participation, care continuity, and provide information and manage patients’ symptoms and needs across the whole continuum of the cancer pathway. A competence profile for the CN role is yet to be developed, and it is important to assess CNs’ self-reported competence to assure that they are well equipped for the role. Objectives: To assess self-reported professional competence among contact nurses working in Swedish cancer care and relate the findings to education level and clinical experience. Methods: The Nurse Professional Competence scale short form (35 items) was used to assess the nurses’ professional competence. Data were collected through a web-based survey in 2017 in 2 regional cancer centers in Sweden. Results: One hundred eight CNs participated in the study and reported highest scores in “value-based nursing care” and lowest scores in “development, leadership, and organization of nursing care.” Higher age, extended clinical work experience, and academic degree were significantly associated with higher competence. Conclusions: CNs with extensive work experience and CNs with an academic degree reported higher scores concerning their generic competence. There is a need in future studies to assess CNs’ specific competence in cancer care. Implications for Practice: There is room for improvement in the competence development of CNs, primarily in the areas of leadership and organization of nursing care. What is Foundational: CNs’ competence regarding leadership and organization should be improved, preferably as part of academic education.

Implementation of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in the Republic of Croatia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in Croatia in order to use it as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing nurses’ competence. Methodological study. Content and construct validity as well as internal consistency and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. The six-factor structure of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in the Republic of Croatia was confirmed by CFA. The six-factor model showed a satisfactory fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.085, CFI = 0.84). All factor loadings were significant at p < 0.05. Cronbach’s alpha for each scale ranged from 0.76 to 0.92. The psychometric properties of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in the Republic of Croatia show that the scale is a reliable and valid measurement tool and as such can be used in research to assess the quality of professional competencies of nurses. The Scale consists of 35 items distributed in six competence areas.