Structural equation modelling of ethicomoral values and competence of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that affected nurses’ professional values and competence. AIM: Our study examined the relationship between nurses’ professional values and competence in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design with 748 nurses from Saudi Arabia. Two self-report instruments were used to collect data. Structural equation modelling was conducted to analyse the data. FINDINGS: The emerging model showed acceptable model-fit indices. Two dimensions of nurse professional values significantly affected professional competence: professionalism and activism. Professionalism significantly affected the other four facets (e.g., caring, activism, trust, and justice) of nurse professional values. The dimension of caring had a strong direct effect on activism. Justice had a moderate direct impact on trust, while activism had a weak direct impact on trust. Professionalism and caring had strong indirect effects on professional competence by mediating the dimension of activism. DISCUSSION: The study’s findings highlight the need for strategies to evaluate and strengthen the various areas of professional values to foster professional competence among nurses. Moreover, nurse administrators should encourage nurses to participate in continuing nursing education programs or provide in-service educational training to promote professional values and competence. CONCLUSION: This study provides a structural model of the interaction between nurses’ professional values and competence during the pandemic. Nurse administrators can leverage the presented model to develop policies and strategies to evaluate and strengthen nurses’ professional values and competence.