Critical clinical competencies in undergraduate psychiatric-mental health nursing

Clinical competencies in nursing education provide the foundation for the development of competencies in nursing practice. Literature pertaining to clinical competencies in psychiatric-mental health nursing is extremely sparse. The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' perceptions of undergraduate students' critical clinical competencies. A purposive sample of 18 nurses with experience in psychiatric care and nursing education completed a 198-item survey, which included eight criterion-referenced critical clinical competencies. The results, in which 80% of items were rated strongly agree or agree, have implications for nursing education, practice, and research. The results support the use of the items in the instrument as a pedagogical tool, as a guide in assessing and evaluating students' clinical performance, and as a guide for novice faculty and practitioners. Further research about critical clinical competencies in psychiatric-mental health nursing is needed.