Describing Nurses’ Competence in Primary Nursing Care Model: A Cross-sectional Study Conducted in an Italian Teaching Hospital

Introduction: Primary Nursing (PN) is a patient-focused nursing model that improves the quality of care. It has been defined over the years as a model to develop nurses’ personal knowledge, but the relationship between different nursing care models and nurses’ competence or experience still requires study. Objectives: The study aimed to describe nurses’ perceptions of their competence in the primary nursing care model and to identify sociodemographic and organisational predictors of nurses’ competence. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to recruit nurses from wards using the PN care model and wards in which a team nursing care model was applied. A convenience sample of 142 nurses completed a self-administered questionnaire composed of a sociodemographic survey and the Nurse Competence Scale (NCS). Nurses’ age, gender, education degree, years as a registered nurse, months as a registered nurse under the specific nursing model, and type of employment contract were tested as potential independent predictors of nurses’ competence. Results: The PN nurses reported a better perception of their competence in all seven NCS categories. Independent predictors of a high level of competence in managing situations were an open-ended employment contract, greater work experience, working in a PN care model, and male gender. Predictors of a high level of competence in ensuring quality were greater work experience and working in a PN care model. Finally, an open-ended employment contract and working in a PN care model were both associated with a higher level of helping role, teaching–coaching, diagnostic functions, therapeutic interventions, and work role. The variables explained from 10% to 26% of the variance in all categories. Conclusion: PN model was found to be significantly positively correlated with nursing competence development. Advanced skills are involved in practising a personalized nursing care plan.