Competencies of Entry-Level Nurses Towards Quality Nursing Care in the Hospitals of Rinconada: Basis for Onboarding Training Program

Aim: This study aimed to assess the competencies of entry-level nurses towards quality nursing care in the hospitals of Rinconada which served as a basis for developing an onboarding training program. Methodology:The research employed a descriptive-correlational design and gathered data from five privatelyowned hospitals in Rinconada area.The hospitals were selected using stratified random sampling, and total enumeration was used to identify the entry-level nurse respondents.The gathered data were then tallied, tabulated and analyzed using the percentage, weighted mean, and chi-square test of independence.Results: Findings showed that the majority of the workforce is composed of females aged 25 to 34 years, who are the youngest in the family, with most holding bachelor's degrees and fell within the 10,001 to 20,000 pesos family monthly income bracket.Competency areas such as patient care prioritization, decision making, assessment and identifying and addressing medication errors were strongly demonstrated in the study.However, gaps were identified in the areas of stress management, emotional support, and advanced clinical procedures, while factors affecting nurse competencies are confidence in basic nursing skills, access to resources, and the presence of a collaborative work environment.The profile was found to have no significant relationship with the identified competencies.The proposed plan can improve the level of competencies of entry-level nurses in the hospitals of Rinconada.Conclusion: By addressing key competency areas, factors and promoting continuous professional growth, the study underscores the importance of equipping entry-level nurses to meet the demands of quality nursing care effectively in the Rinconada area.