Assessing professional competencies among undergraduate nurses: An exploratory study

Background: Professional competencies are vital for the quality and safety of the nursing practice. The learning environment is important for students? learning and for developing their professional competency. Purpose: The study aimed to identify student nurses? professional competencies and to examine which factors of the clinical learning environment affect these competencies. Methods: Data were collected from 178 nursing students using the Clinical Learning Environment and Supervision (CLES) scale and the Short Nursing Professional Competencies scale (NPC-SF). Results: The students achieved the highest competency in the ?value-based nursing care? and the lowest for ?development, leadership, and organization of nursing?. Factors such as a positive pedagogical atmosphere, nursing care on the ward, and a good supervisory relationship affected learning and in turn, improved their professional competencies. Conclusion: The results establish a link between the clinical environment and reported professional competency, calling for more focused coverage of these factors in the academic curricula.