Educational level and self-reported competence of nurses in Slovakia

Abstract Aim. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between self-reported competences and the educational level of nurses in Slovakia. Materials and methods. The 73-item NCS was translated into the Slovak language according to Brislin’s translation model, then electronic version of the tool was emailed to eligible nurses in the Slovak Republic registered with the Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives (SkSaPA). Data were analysed in IBM SPSS version 22 using descriptive statistics, Student t-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results. A total of 135 nurses, who work in the Slovak healthcare system, returned the surveys. Nurses with master’s degree reported greater confidence in “ensuring quality” and higher competence on the “managing situations” subscales than nurses without a master’s degree. This study found no other significant relationships between nursing educational levels and self-reported competence. Conclusions. Master’s level education influences nursing competence in managing clinical situations and ensuring the quality of nursing care provided in Slovakia.