Explaining Nursing Students' Understanding of Teachers' Professional Competence: Qualitative Content Analysis

One of the important factors in learning and  students` success is the professional competence of teachers. The aim of this study is to explore nursing students' understanding of the professional competence of their teachers.

This qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling with 12 nursing students in 2022 at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Sampling continued until data saturation was reached. Elo and Kyngas' method was used for data analysis, which included three stages of open coding, creating categories, and abstraction.

Three main themes were extracted from the data analysis, including educational competence (updating the knowledge of teachers, expertise in the field, ability to transfer knowledge), ethical competence (being a role model, having a presentable appearance, not discriminating among students), and classroom management (class management, having a lesson plan).

The findings revealed that three characteristics of educational, ethical, and classroom management competencies are essential for a professional nursing teacher. The implementation of these competencies in educational centers of medical universities can be useful not only at the beginning of their career but also throughout their service as teachers.