A Quantitative Study to Explore Clinical Competence of Newly Qualified Registered Nurses in Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

Newly qualified registered nurses (NQRNs) are expected to work independently and be competent in applying the decision-making and problem-solving skills gained during their training. However, there are certain factors in the clinical environment that hinder their clinical competence. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the relationship between clinical learning environmental factors and the clinical competence of NQRNs. Data were collected from 176 registered nurses working in the medical and surgical units of two public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. These data were collected using an adapted version of a pre-existing structured questionnaire called the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses (CIRN). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The majority of participants were older registered nurses whose highest education was a diploma in nursing. This study showed that there is a significant association between clinical environmental factors and cognitive, affective and psychomotor competencies. The study also revealed that the development of clinical competence is reliant on both the individual and context. Our findings suggested that managers and educators should enhance the type of clinical training and support offered to improve clinical competence.