Effect of Internship Program on Self-Reported Clinical Competence among BSc Nursing Students in Selected Nursing Colleges at Mangaluru

Abstract

IntroductionNursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities, and they are the backbone of the health care team. In the early period, competency includes the assessment of personal qualities of a nurse such as values, skills, judgment, and attitude. Nursing students should be given adequate training during the study period to become clinically competent nurses and must be ready to compete with the dynamic world. Objective This study was conducted to find the effect of internship program on self-reported clinical competence of BSc nursing students. Methodology Pre-experimental design adopted with 124 fourth-year BSc nursing students selected using a simple random sampling technique. For assessing the clinical competence, the researchers found a study, where a standard clinical competence tool was developed and used. The self-reported clinical competence questionnaire consists of nursing professional behaviors, general performance, core nursing skills, and advanced nursing skills. ResultsThe results of this study show that a total mean score of the level of clinical competency in the pretest was 86.2 ± 8.6 and lower compared with the posttest 208.5 ± 17.6. Majority of the students (73%) were advanced learners in the pretest and gained competence as experts (94%) in the posttest. One skilled learner found in the pretest promoted to the level of competent learner in the posttest. Conclusion Exposure to the clinical field and practice through an internship program can help student nurses to improve skills. From this study, the researchers found that the internship program has a great impact on improving clinical competence among nursing students. AbstractKeywords ► students ► nursing ► clinical competence ► internship ► self-report

Exploring nursing faculty, managers, newly graduated nurses, and students’ experiences of nursing internship program implementation in Iran: a descriptive qualitative study

“…In the present study, working in different shifts and wards during the internship program led to exposure to various nursing procedures and acquiring skills. Kannappan et al’s study (2020) found that the internship program could help nursing students improve their skills and clinical competence [ 9 ]. In this regard, in the study by Jokhio et al, the internship program was reported to be essential for achieving professional growth and acquiring skills [ 29 ].…”

“…Internship programs provide a context in which students can put what they have learned into practice [ 7 ]. The internship program began in the United States in 1900 [ 8 ] and provided the necessary platform in nursing schools to transition from a nursing student to a new graduate [ 9 ]. This educational model is held for novice nurses in some countries and final-year nursing students in others [ 5 , 10 ].…”

Nursing Interns' Orientation Program: A Predictor of Improving Nursing Interns' Knowledge About Professional Nursing Practice

“…Additionally, there was a highly statistically significant difference between nursing interns' knowledge related to clinical and management skills required for professional nursing practice pre and post implementation of nursing interns' orientation program to develop their knowledge about professional nursing practice(p<0.0001). (10) identifies that high percent (67%) of nursing interns had unsatisfactory knowledge level related to international patient safety goals, while the majority (98.3%) had satisfactory knowledge level post program. Additionally, there was a highly statistically significant difference between nursing interns' knowledge related to EJNHS Vol.…”