Authors

Elsa Pla-Canalda1, María Francisca Jiménez-Herrera2, José Fernández-Sáez3, Cristina Martín Orué4, Astrid Vidiella Piñol5, Mireia Benedicto Galiana5, Estrella Martínez Segura6

Position

1Diplomada en Enfermería. Hospital Tortosa Verge de la Cinta. Tortosa, Tarragona (España). Facultad de Enfermería. Campus Terres de l’Ebre. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Tortosa, Tarragona (España)2Doctora en Enfermería. Facultad de Enfermería. Campus Catalunya. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Tarragona (España)3Doctor en Salud Pública. Unitat de Suport a la Recerca Terres de l’Ebre. Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l’Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol). Tortosa, Tarragona (España). Facultad de Enfermería. Campus Terres de l´Ebre. Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Tortosa, Tarragona (España)4Diplomada en Enfermería especialista en Ginecología y Obstetricia. Hospital Tortosa Verge de la Cinta. Tortosa, Tarragona (España)5Diplomada en Enfermería. Hospital Tortosa Verge de la Cinta. Tortosa, Tarragona (España)6Doctora en Enfermería. Hospital Tortosa Verge de la Cinta. Tortosa, Tarragona (España). Facultad de Enfermería. Campus Terres de l’Ebre. Universidad Rovira i Virgili. Tarragona (España)

Contact address

María Francisca Jiménez-Herrera. Avda. Catalunya, 35. 43002 Tarragona (España).

Contact email: maria.jimenez@urv.cat

Abstract

Objective: to describe the level of skills and confidence perceived regarding care for critical patients among Nursing students and newly recruited Nursing professionals; to analyse the influence of gender on both skills, and to analyse the differences between the competence level estimated by students / professionals and their persons in charge (academic tutors / supervisors).
Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study with students in the 4th year of their University Nursing Degree and Nursing professionals with <2 years of experience. Sociodemographic variables were collected, as well as the self-perceived confidence level in a Likert scale from 0 to 10; and the COM-VA© validated questionnaire was administered for skill assessment. The skills of each participant were evaluated by themselves and by their academic tutors / supervisors.
Results: the study included 54 students, 22 professionals and four persons in charge. The self-perception of the level of confidence by tutored students was higher than that by new professionals (p= 0.001); their self-perceived level of skills was similar: 22.2% of the students and 18.2% of professionals perceived themselves as competent. Even though their competence level was similar according to the self-completed COM-VA© questionnaire (mean of 7.2 and 7.8 out of 10 for students and professionals, respectively), the competence level of professionals was higher according to the evaluation by their supervisors and tutors (p< 0.001). There were no differences by gender.
Conclusion: the outcomes obtained showed that Nursing students in their last year presented a higher level of confidence than new professionals, but that the competence level of professionals was higher than that of students according to their tutors / supervisors.

Keywords:

nursing; patients; clinical competence; COM-VA© Questionnaire; critical care; safety

Versión en Español

Título:

Competencias enfermeras y grado de seguridad de estudiantes y profesionales en el cuidado del paciente crítico