Clinical practice competencies and associated factors among graduating nursing students attending at universities in Northern Ethiopia: institution-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical practice competencies and associated factors among graduating nursing students attending public universities found in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia DESIGN: Institution-based cross-sectional study design SETTING: The study was conducted in six universities found in the Amhara Region from February to April 2018. PARTICIPANTS: 307 graduating nursing students participated. Of these, 173 were male and 134 were females from different ethnic groups; Amhara 145, Oromo 84, Tigris 44 and Gurage 17. Graduating nursing students attending regular degree programmes were included. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Clinical instructor (good vs not good), clinical environment (conducive vs not conducive), assessment method (measurable vs not measurable), clinical staff-student interaction (good vs not good), clinical practice competency (competent vs incompetent). RESULT: The study revealed that 33.6% (95% CI 26.3% to 39.41%) of students were clinically competent. Orientation about the objective of clinical practice (adjusted OR, AOR 2.387; 95% CI 1.011 to 5.635), enough time for mentoring during clinical practice (AOR 2.247; 95% CI 1.100 to 4.593). Students followed by instructors during conducting a procedure (AOR 2.655; 95% CI 1.294 to 5.449), assessment checklist during clinical practice (AOR 2.663; 95% CI 1.324 to 5.358), students who were allowed by clinical staffs to perform tasks (AOR 5.858; 95% CI 2.657 to 12.916), clinical instructor factors (AOR 3.051; 95% CI 1.717 to 5.421) and student–staff interaction factors (AOR 2.348; 95% CI (1.337 to 4.124) were statistically significant variables with the level of competency. CONCLUSION: Around one-third of the students were clinically competent. Clinical instructor and staff–student interaction were significantly associated with clinical practice competencies among graduating nursing students. Therefore, designing an appropriate clinical practice protocol that includes improving the supervision of a clinical instructor is important to enhance the clinical practice competency of students.