The relationship between clinical competence and occupational stress in Iranian clinical nurses Download PDF

Purpose: Clinical competence is necessary to providing safe and effective patient care. Nursing is associated with high degree of stress. Despite the importance of quality care and nurse professional development, the relationship between the two has been neglected. The purpose of the study is to investigate the association between clinical competency and occupational stress Design: A cross-sectional descriptive correlation design was used. Methods: Iranian clinical nurses (N=230) were selected using stratified random sampling in seven university hospitals of Iran in 2015. Data was collected through Competency Inventory for Registered Nurse and occupational stress questionnaires. Data was analyzed with Spearman Correlation, Mann-Whitney-U and t-tests using SPSS /21 software. Findings: The mean score of clinical competence and occupational stress were (173.59 ± 26.72) and (72.46 ± 12.95) respectively, and assessed in high level. There was a significant positive correlation between clinical competence and occupational stress (r= 0.153, P= 0.020). Conclusions: It seems that when nurses' clinical competence is high, naturally the knowledge, practical skills and work experience as well as high, therefore their expectations and accountability will increase and this may increase stress. In addition, stress is an inseparable part of the nursing profession. Nurses experienced high stress in the workplace, and it may be possible, nurses despite having high clinical competence, have high occupational stress Clinical Relevance: Nurses stress may cause adverse professional and organizational complications. Nurse Managers and hospital administration need to collaborate on coping strategies and education to advocate for reduced work-related nurse stressors.