Clinical Practice Ability and Related Factors Among Senior Undergraduate Nursing Students Post-Clinical Internship: A Latent Profile Analysis

The shortage of nurses and inadequate clinical practice abilities among senior undergraduate nursing students has raised significant concerns globally. The discrepancy between nursing education and practical skill requirements in hospitals is the primary contributor to this issue. Objectives: This study aimed to (1) explore potential classifications for assessing the clinical practice abilities of senior undergraduate nursing students in clinical practice, (2) identify distinct subgroups based on their clinical practice abilities, and (3) analyze the factors influencing these subgroups. Design: This was a cross-sectional study using latent profile analysis. Participants: A total of 336 fourth-year nursing students who had recently completed clinical practice were included in this study. Methods: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic factors, the Nursing Professional Attitude Questionnaire (NPAQ), and the Environmental Assessment Scale for Nursing Clinical Practice. The Clinical Ability Scale for Undergraduate Nursing Students (CCSUNS) measures clinical practice abilities. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of students based on their clinical practice abilities. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing these subgroups. Results: Three profiles of clinical practice ability were identified: (1) "low level - guidance dependent" (51.79%), (2) "intermediate - response improvement" (33.85%), and (3) "high level - autonomous decision-making" (16.37%). Key influencing factors included gender, academic performance, professional nursing attitude, and the clinical practice environment. Conclusions: More than half of the senior nursing students demonstrated poor clinical practice abilities. Enhancing the clinical practice environment, increasing practical opportunities, fostering professional attitudes, and addressing gender equality are critical for improving clinical practice abilities. Future multicenter longitudinal studies are recommended to explore changes in clinical practice abilities over time and across different stages of clinical practice.