There is increasing concern that newly qualified registered nurses (RNs) find it difficult to make a smooth transition from completing their four-year nursing training to taking up their posts as first time RNs. In a constantly changing healthcare system, these newly qualified RNs are expected to work independently and be competent in applying the decision making and problem-solving skills gained during their training. While certain aspects of clinical incompetence may be ascribed to individual factors, the importance of the clinical learning environment and its influence on the development of clinical competence cannot be ignored. Nurses need support and guidance to effect a successful transition from being novice to competent nurse and the environment is regarded as important in developing technical competencies. The research study followed a positivistic, quantitative paradigm, where the hypothesized relationship between clinical learning environmental factors and clinical competence of newly qualified RNs were explored. Data was collected from the experienced RNs in the hospitals by means of a structured pre-existing questionnaire, namely the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses (CIRN). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. The analysed data was used to describe the findings. Recommendations were made based on the findings. Results suggested that the development of clinical competence is dependent on both the individual and context. Positive relations were reported between clinical learning environmental factors and clinical competencies.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:28812 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Mugerwa, Pumla Princess |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MCur |
| Format | xiii, 115 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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