Assessment of Basic Nursing Programme on Nurse Tutors' Competence and Curriculum Coverage: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ogun State, Nigeria
Abstract
Background: Nursing education plays a vital role in developing competent healthcare professionals who can deliver quality patient care. The effectiveness of nursing education depends significantly on nurse tutors' competence and curriculum implementation. This study assessed nurse tutors' professional competence and curriculum coverage in basic nursing programmes in Ogun State, Nigeria.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across four Basic Schools of Nursing in Ogun State. Three self-developed instruments were used: Nurse Tutors' Professional Competence Scale (NTPCS, reliability coefficient=0.83), Curriculum Coverage Scale (CCS, reliability coefficient=0.89), and Nurse Tutors Profile Questionnaire (NTPQ). The study evaluated nurse tutors' competence in anatomy and physiology, foundation of nursing, and reproductive health courses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation.
Results: Nurse tutors demonstrated high professional competence across all evaluated courses with mean scores of 3.99 (anatomy and physiology), 3.90 (foundation of nursing), and 4.23 (reproductive health). The curriculum coverage was adequate with a mean average of 4.09. Significant gender distribution differences were found among nurse tutors (χ²=16.900, df=1, p<0.05), favoring females. Professional qualification distribution showed significant differences (χ²=24.200, df=2, p<0.05), with most tutors holding Postgraduate Diploma in Education. Significant positive correlations were found between professional competence and content coverage for all three courses (p<0.05).
Discussion: The findings demonstrate high professional competence among nurse tutors and adequate curriculum coverage, suggesting effective implementation of the basic nursing programme. However, gender disparities in the nursing faculty warrant attention for promoting diversity in nursing education.
