Changes in nursing students' self-reported professional competence in simulation-based education and clinical placement: A longitudinal study

Background: A primary learning outcome for nursing students is to achieve the professional competence necessary to provide safe and high-quality care in complex and specialized health services. Simulation-based education (SBE) and clinical placement are two educational settings in which nursing students' professional competence can be facilitated as a learning outcome. Objectives: The study objectives were to investigate changes in nursing students' self-reported professional competence in SBE and clinical placement and the transfer of this competence from SBE to clinical placement. We also aimed to investigate which competence areas were highest and lowest rated. Design: A quantitative longitudinal survey design was applied. Settings: The study took place from May 2019 to January 2020 in a simulation center at a Norwegian university and clinical placement in hospital units. Participants: Bachelor nursing students (N = 38) in their second and third year of a four-year part-time Norwegian nursing bachelor's degree program. Methods: The Nurse Professional Scale Short Form (NPC Scale-SF) consisting of six competence areas was used to measure nursing students' self-reported professional competence across four time points. Paired sample t-test and descriptive statistics were used to analyse data. Results: For changes in the longitudinal perspective, students' self-reported professional competence increased significantly. In the transfer perspective, from SBE to clinical placement, four competence areas declined significantly. Value-based nursing care were scored highest, whilst Development, leadership, and organization of nursing care were scored lowest score at all time-points. Conclusions: Findings indicate that nursing students' self-reported professional competence increased in the longitudinal perspective. Supporting students in transfer of professional competence should be addressed in SBE and clinical placement, whilst nursing education should be strengthened concerning development, leadership, and organization of nursing care.

Automated summary

This study investigated the changes and transfer of self-reported professional competence among nursing students in simulation-based education (SBE) and clinical placement. The results showed an increase in professional competence over time, but a decline in certain competence areas during the transfer from SBE to clinical placement. Value-based nursing care received the highest score, while development, leadership, and organization of nursing care received the lowest score throughout the study.