Clinical Competency in Psychiatric Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study

Clinical competency in psychiatric nursing education provides the foundation for the development of competency in nursing practice. There are different definitions of clinical competency، but there is no certain definition for it in psychiatric nursing. The purpose of this study was to explore the definition of and method of achieving clinical competency in psychiatric nursing students. In this qualitative study semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 participants (5 undergraduate senior students in their last term، 2 MSc students in the psychiatric field، 4 faculty members of the Department of Psychiatric Nursing، 3 head nurses، and 2 nurses working in psychiatric wards). In addition، we used two focused group interviews with nursing students. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis method. During data analysis، four main themes emerged; preparation and familiarization، confrontation، involvement، and competency. Undergraduate nursing students need to pass specific stages before attaining clinical competency as a mental health nurse. Each stage has specific factors that may help the students on their path.