2017 Volume 21 Issue 2 Pages 87-97
The purpose of this study is to identify primary factors contributing to the fundamental competencies of working nurses by conducting a self-administered anonymous questionnaire consisting of the following factors: individual attributes, nursing, education, and experience, feelings of self-esteem, career maturity, and fundamental competencies for working persons. The questionnaires were distributed to 1,220 nurses working at two national university hospitals located in Shikoku from June to August 2014. Some 1,142 responses were received (a response rate of 93.6%), out of which 997 valid responses were selected for the study (81.7%). The average age of the respondents was 33.65 ± 10.48 years, with an average of 9.52 ± 9.01 years of nursing experience.
Multiple regression analysis results revealed that the following factors are important for enhancing the fundamental competencies of working nurses: career maturity, feelings of self-esteem, nursing practice, one job status or position, role models, advisors or people one can consult, and involvement in training that requires giving presentations. We observed an especially strong association with career maturity, which suggests that career maturity is the most significant factor for enhancing the fundamental competencies of working nurses.
