Comparison of Achievement of Clinical Skills in Seventh and Eighth Semester Nursing Students in Hamadan, West of Iran

BACKGROUND: Identifying the status of clinical education helps to improve the achievement of educational goals. This study aimed to compare the achievement of clinical skills in the final year nursing students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this descriptive analytical study, 157 nursing students in the seventh and eighth semesters were selected through a census method, who were compared with each other. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire that included 111 clinical skills in 7 dimensions of primary nursing care, vital signs control, oxygenation and airway management, medication administration, laboratory samples collection, infection control, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills. Students scored each skill on a scale ranging from 0 to 5. The acceptable skills level in this study was the third level, which observes skills performed by the instructor or the nurse. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, descriptive statistics, and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: In the seventh semester students, except for the vital signs skills, other skills were at lower than expected levels. In the eighth semester students, except for the laboratory samples collection and infection control skills which were at a lower than expected level, other skills were reported at expected levels. Multiple linear regression showed that the eight semester students had more total score than the seventh semester students (t = 3.19, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The provision of sufficient opportunity to develop clinical skills in the eight semester was observed in this study; therefore, it is recommended that the internship course be increased in the dimensions in which students can independently perform clinical skills.