CLINICAL TEACHING COMPETENCY AMONG NURSING PRECEPTORS AT LIAQUAT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Nursing preceptors combine patient care with responsibility for students’ clinical learning. Evidence about their teaching competency in public hospitals in Sindh remains limited, particularly regarding the educational activities requiring support. Objective: To describe self-reported clinical teaching competency, identify domain-specific priorities and examine associations with demographic and professional characteristics among nursing preceptors at Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and Jamshoro, Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted from 30 March to 30 July 2026. Convenience sampling recruited 211 eligible registered nurses from two hospital sites. Participants completed a locally adapted, English-language, 40-item questionnaire covering seven domains on a five-point agreement scale. Five negatively worded items were reverse scored. Overall means were classified using study-defined low, moderate and high bands. Four primary categorical associations were examined using Pearson chi-square tests, Cramér’s V and Holm-adjusted probabilities. Supplementary analyses examined mean differences and correlations with experience. Results: Of 232 nurses approached, 211 participated, giving a response rate of 90.9%. Overall competency averaged 3.10 (SD 0.72; 95% CI 3.00–3.19). Moderate, high and low bands contained 100 (47.4%), 62 (29.4%) and 49 (23.2%) participants, respectively. Advocacy and support scored highest (3.36), while social interaction and networking scored lowest (2.88). Overall internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s alpha 0.969). Competency category was associated with clinical nursing experience (χ²=12.785, p=0.012; adjusted p=0.037; V=0.174) and teaching experience (χ²=16.705, p=0.002; adjusted p=0.009; V=0.199). Associations with age and qualification were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Participants reported moderate teaching competency, with networking, role modelling and feedback emerging as priorities. Findings support locally evaluated educational and organisational support. Self report, convenience sampling and incomplete psychometric validation limit conclusions about actual performance and wider populations.