Assessment of Factors Associated With the Acquisition of Competencies among Undergraduate Nursing Students in Ugandan Universities

Joan Kempango — 2024-04-02

Purpose: Like other developing countries, Uganda grapples with the critical challenge of equipping nursing students with essential clinical competencies. These competencies encompass vital nursing skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors crucial for effective nursing practice. This study assessed student perceptions and confidence in applying acquired clinical skills among undergraduate nursing students in Ugandan universities.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was used to assess bachelor's in nursing students from central and western Ugandan universities. Data were entered into Excel and exported to SPSS version 22. Results were presented using frequencies, pie charts, percentages, and tables. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess associations of the variables in the study.

Findings: The study showed that acquisition of clinical competencies is positively correlated with students’ perceptions (r=0.775) (p=0.000), Institutional factors(r=0.668) (p=0.000), clinical learning environment (r=0.556) (p=0.000), clinical feedback (r=0.439) (p=0.000). The study further shows that 69.9% (n=70) had adequate clinical learning experience, while 31% (n=31) had inadequate clinical learning experience. This implies moderate student supervision, feedback, and an unfavorable clinical learning environment. Competency acquisition in student nurses is positively influenced by the active involvement of students' perceptions, institutional factors, and a supportive clinical learning environment. A sufficient amount of clinical experience is pivotal in developing competent student nurses.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Management should always invite experienced professionals to share career experiences to enhance realistic perceptions among nursing students. Students should be given more time to practice in clinical settings, and management should advocate for including student attitude tests in orientation programs across nursing and clinical training universities.

Nurses’ Perception toward the Relationship between Just Culture and Patient Safety Activities: A Literature Review

Hanan Alashram — 2024-04-16

Purpose: This review aimed to explore “Just Culture”, patient safety, and the relationship between them from nurses’ perceptions working in healthcare settings. Also, to highlight recommendations for nurse managers regarding the explored concepts and provide evidence-based resource guiding future researches and nursing practice.

Methodology: EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Clinical Key for Nursing were the databases selected for this review, accessed directly or through available online libraries.

Findings: A total of 21 studies met the screening criteria and were included. Studies recruited multiple levels of nursing positions, conducted in different countries and healthcare settings. Two themes were developed accordingly: Nurses’ perceptions toward “Just Culture” and Nurses’ perceptions toward patient safety.

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The relationship between “Just Culture” and patient safety from nurses’ perceptions is found to be correlated with high or low nursing performance. Healthy work environments that foster “Just Culture” achieve desirable safety outcomes. The major role of organizational and nursing management is creating positive workplace cultures that maintain patient safety. Additionally, it is crucial to establish policies that demonstrate fair responses to incidents, adopt rational investigations based on balanced accountability, and avoid unjustified blame for nurses. “Just Culture” should not be promoted as a blame-free approach but as a balanced accountability. Hence, these managerial endeavors should encourage the voluntary reporting of incidents by nurses for learning and improvement purposes while nurses remain accepting their responsibility at the level they contributed to that incident.

Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing

Assessment of Factors Associated With the Acquisition of Competencies among Undergraduate Nursing Students in Ugandan Universities

Nurses’ Perception toward the Relationship between Just Culture and Patient Safety Activities: A Literature Review