Do educational outcomes correspond with the requirements of nursing practice: educators' and
managers' assessments of novice nurses' professional competence
Sammanfattning
Objective: This study evaluated weather educational outcomes
of nurse education meet the requirements of nursing
practice by exploring the correspondence between
nurse educators’ and nurse managers’ assessments of
novice nurses’ professional competence. The purpose was
to find competence areas contributing to the acknowledged
practice-theory gap.
Design: A cross-sectional, comparative design using the
Nurse Competence Scale was applied.
Subjects: The sample comprised nurse educators (n = 86)
and nurse managers (n = 141).
Methods: Descriptive and inferential statistics were used
in the data analysis.
Main outcome measures: Educators assessed novice nurses’
competence to a significantly higher level than
managers in all competence areas (p < 0.001). The
biggest correspondence between educatorsf and mangersf
assessments were in competencies related to immediate
patient care, commitment to ethical values, maintaining
professional skills and nursesf care of the self. The
biggest differences were in competencies related to
developmental and evaluation tasks, coaching activities,
use of evidence-based knowledge and in activities which
required mastering a comprehensive view of care situations.
However, differences between educatorsf and
managersf assessments were strongly associated with
their age and work experience. Active and improved
collaboration should be focused on areas in which the
differences between educatorsf and managersf assessments
greatly differ in ensuring novice nurses fitness
for practice. Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.