Clinical Nursing Competence of Mid-career Nurses and Factors that Influence the Competence

Abstract

〔Objective〕 This study aims to identify clinical nursing competence of mid-career nurses and examine the factors that influence the competence.

〔Methods〕 Subjects are 1073 nurses with the experience of working as nurses for five to twenty years in hospital in X city in Hokkaido. A questionnaire survey was administered to the nurses enquiring about demographic data, nursing experience, understanding of work assignments, a Self-Evaluation Scale of Occupational Experiences, and clinical nursing competence.

〔Result〕We received 398 valid responses. There was no statistically significant relationship between the reported clinical nursing competence and the years of the nursing experience. However, comparing three groups by length of nursing experience, the scores for those with fifteen to twenty years of experience were the higher than the others. The multiple regression analysis showed that marital state, being a clinical nursing practice supervisor, acting as a team leader, and the score of the Self-Evaluation Scale of Occupational Experiences were related to the nursing competence. Specifically, the Self-Evaluation Scale of Occupational Experiences and ‘Experience of establishing own nursing standards and value’, one of the six factors of the scale, were strongly influential.

〔Discussion〕 The findings suggest that the clinical nursing competence of mid-career nurses improves as experience increases, but not linearly. Further, being a clinical nursing practice supervisor and acting as a team leader influence nursing competence significantly. It is important to experience establishing own nursing standards and values.