Clinical learning environment, stressor perceptions, and competence levels of nursing students: a cross-sectional study

The clinical learning environment, clinical stressors, and competence level are important factors related to nursing students’ adaptation to the profession, perspective, and clinical success. This study examines the relationships among nursing students’ clinical learning environment, stressor perceptions, and competence levels. This study used a cross-sectional design. The sample included 300 nursing students at a state university. We collected data face-to-face using the Demographic Information Form, the Clinical Learning Environment Scale for Nursing Students, the Clinical Stressor Perception Scale for Nursing Students, and the Nursing Students Competence Scale. Statistical analyses included t tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and simple and multiple linear regression analyses. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were also calculated. The mean clinical learning environment score was 61.20 ± 11.43, the clinical stressor perception score was moderate (82.64 ± 19.60), and the self-reported competence score (215.22 ± 42.40) was above the theoretical midpoint of the scale. We found a negative correlation between the clinical learning environment and perceived clinical stressors and a positive correlation between the clinical learning environment and competence level ( p < 0.05). In the adjusted multiple regression analysis, both the clinical learning environment (β = 0.456, p < 0.001) and clinical stressor perceptions (β = −0.156, p = 0.008) remained significantly associated with competence after adjusting for sex and class level. The model explained 28.4% of the variance in competence (R² = 0.284). The findings suggest that more positive perceptions of the clinical learning environment are associated with higher self-reported competence, whereas higher perceptions of clinical stressors are associated with lower self-reported competence. These findings highlight the potential importance of supportive clinical learning environments and manageable clinical stressors in nursing education. However, the cross-sectional design does not allow causal conclusions to be drawn from these associations.