Assessment of core teaching competency of health professional educators in Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Understanding the competency of educators is key to informing faculty development, recruitment and performance monitoring. This study aimed to assess the core teaching competency of nursing, midwifery and biomedical educators, and associated factors in Ethiopia. DESIGN: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2020 using structured tools adapted from the WHO’s nurse and midwifery educator competency frameworks. SETTING: Two health science colleges and nine student practice sites in Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: All classroom instructors and clinical preceptors of nursing, midwifery and biomedical technician training programmes, and all the graduating class students. MEASURES: Overall teaching competency scores, teaching domain competency scores, competency gaps and performance gaps of educators were outcome measures. Past training on teaching skills courses, teaching experiences and sociodemographic characteristics of educators are associated factors. RESULTS: Most educators were not trained in teaching methods (82%). The teaching competency scores of classroom instructors and clinical preceptors were 61.1% and 52.5%, respectively. Competency gaps were found in using active learning methods, performance assessment, feedback and digital learning. Professional background of classroom instructors had a significant and strong association with their competency score (p=0.004; V=0.507). Age and teaching experience of clinical preceptors had significant associations with their competency score (p=0.023 and p=0.007, respectively) and had strong associations (V=0.280 and 0.323, respectively). Sex of students and their perceptions of how well the educators give education resources had a significant and strong association (p<0.001; V=0.429). CONCLUSIONS: Nursing, midwifery and biomedical educators lacked the competency to undertake important teaching roles, which could contribute to the low quality of education. More attention should be given to strengthening faculty development.