Professional readiness and competence levels in newly graduated nurses: A descriptive correlational study

Abstract

The transition from the student role to professional nursing is a critical period. During this process, newly graduated nurses’ perceptions of competence and readiness for the profession may facilitate their adaptation and positively influence the quality of patient care. In this context, examining the competence levels and professional readiness of newly graduated nurses is important for both the development of educational programs and the improvement of clinical adaptation processes. This study aimed to examine the relationship between newly graduated nurses’ competence levels and their perceptions of professional readiness. The study had a descriptive, correlational design. A total of 180 newly graduated nurses participated in the study. The data were collected by using the individual characteristics form, the Perception of Professional Readiness in Nursing Scale and the Nursing Students' Competency Scale. The total competence score of newly graduated nurses was 269.09±22.95, and the mean score for professional readiness was 4.25±0.29. A significant positive relationship was observed between competence levels and perceptions of professional readiness (r = 0.723, p < 0.05). The findings suggest that professional readiness is strongly associated with competence among newly graduated nurses.  Strengthening orientation programs and implementing structured transition to practice training may support competence development. Further research with larger samples is recommended.