The first COVID-19 new graduate nurses generation: findings from an Italian cross-sectional study

BMC Nursing

Table 5 Nurse Competence Scale of new graduated before and after COVID-19 outbreak

Factors, mean (CI95%)	Pre-COVID-19 generation [21] (n = 336)	First COVID-19 new graduate generation (n = 323)	p-value
Helping role^a	71.47 (68.89–73.06)	67.95 (65.01–70.88)	0.036
Frequency of using competency^b	2.43 (2.39–2.47)	2.11 (2.05–2.31)	< 0.001
Teaching – coaching	63.30 (61.40–65.21)	62.72 (59.74–65.70)	0.745
Frequency of using competency	1.95 (1.89–2.00)	1.58 (1.49–1.66)	< 0.001
Diagnostic functions	63.23 (61.25–65.21)	63.59 (60.62–66.55)	0.844
Frequency of using competency	2.08 (2.02–2.13)	1.79 (1.70–1.88)	< 0.001
Managing situations	62.38 (60.25–64.51)	63.48 (60.53–66.43)	0.549
Frequency of using competency	2.05 (1.99–2.11)	1.86 (1.77–1.95)	< 0.001
Therapeutic interventions	54.02 (51.74–56.30)	59.22 (56.20–62.25)	0.007
Frequency of using competency	1.79 (1.72–1.85)	1.73 (1.64–1.82)	0.272
Ensuring quality	58.08 (55.71–60.45)	62.45 (59.31–65.58)	0.028
Frequency of using competency	1.85 (1.78–1.92)	1.79 (1.69–1.78)	0.242
Work role	59.97 (57.81–62.13)	62.85 (59.83–65.87)	0.124
Frequency of using competency	1.83 (1.77–1.88)	1.84 (1.75–1.93)	0.830
Overall competence	61.78 (59.96–63.59)	63.18 (60.27–66.09)	0.419
Frequency of using competency	1.99 (1.95–2.04)	1.79 (1.70–1.87)	< 0.001

CI Confidence Interval, COVID-19 COronaVIrus Disease
^aThe NCS, at the competency level, is measured by a visual analogue scale, where 0 indicates a very low level and 100 indicates a high level of competency [22]
^bThe frequency of using the competences increased from ‘Very seldom’ (= 1) to ‘Occasionally’ (= 2) and to ‘Very often’ (= 3) [22]

ISSN: 1472-6955