Study Finds Disconnect Between Nurses’ Competence Attitudes and Actual Practice

In a cross-sectional study evaluating professional competence among hospital nurses, researchers found a pronounced disconnect between favorable attitudes toward lifelong learning and actual everyday practice. Although participating nurses expressed an overall positive attitude toward methods for maintaining and upgrading their professional competence, only 37.6 percent demonstrated good practice in utilizing these methods, with no statistically significant relationship observed between their attitudes and their practices.

The study, published in BMC Medical Education, aimed to determine the attitudes and practices of nurses working in teaching hospitals regarding methods for maintaining and enhancing professional competence. The authors noted that the increasing complexity of healthcare delivery and nursing care necessitates continuous attention to nursing competencies, making an empirical understanding of nurses’ perspectives essential for designing effective continuing education programs.

The investigation was conducted with 189 nurses employed in clinical centers affiliated with Guilan University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Study participants were selected through convenience sampling from clinical facilities within the university’s teaching hospital network.

Demographic assessments showed that participating nurses had a mean age of 33.2 ± 7.3 years and a mean work experience of 8.7 ± 5.5 years. Female nurses comprised 68.3 percent of the sample, 67.2 percent were married, 90.5 percent held a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 95.8 percent worked as staff nurses, and 39.2 percent had formal employment status.

Data collection utilized a three-part questionnaire comprising demographic characteristics, an attitude assessment scale, and practice assessment questions. The attitude scale contained 20 items scored on a 7-point Likert scale with a score range from 20 to 140, while practice assessment was evaluated through three dedicated questions.

Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, employing descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and chi-square tests. The mean attitude score across participants was 105.32 ± 16.43 out of 140, indicating a generally favorable attitude toward methods for maintaining and enhancing competence. However, actual utilization lagged, and statistical testing confirmed no significant relationship between nurses’ attitude scores and their practice levels (P = 0.968).

The authors concluded that while nurses held favorable attitudes toward maintaining and enhancing professional competence, their actual practice lagged significantly behind. To address this gap between attitude and practice, the authors highlighted the need for more targeted educational planning, organizational support, and systemic interventions to translate positive attitudes into effective competence-enhancing behaviors.

Subject of Research: Nurses' attitudes and practices regarding professional competence maintenance

Article Title: Lifelong learning in nursing: attitudes and practices behind sustained professional competence

Article References: Hosseini, S., Sedighi-Chafjiri, A., Tabari-Khomeiran, R., & Kazemnejad, E. (2026). Lifelong learning in nursing: attitudes and practices behind sustained professional competence. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-10803-9

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12909-026-10803-9

Keywords: nursing education, professional competence, lifelong learning, cross-sectional study, clinical practice, hospital nursing, continuing education, Lifelong, learning, nursing, attitudes, practices