Purpose
This study was done to examine the effect of direct practice of newborn health assessment on nursing student’s clinical competence and self-efficacy and to propose effective strategies for clinical education on newborn care.
Methods
Design was a nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental study. The direct practice program was composed of a lecture, demonstration, drill and feedback using a manikin, and repeated direct practice regarding newborn health assessment. Participants were 65 student nurses taking the pediatric nursing practicum in the nursery room at M hospital. The experimental group (n=33) participated in the direct practice program for newborn health assessment and the control group (n=32) received the traditional practice method. Nursing clinical competence was assessed by two nurse investigators and structured questionnaires were used to measure self-efficacy.
Results
The experimental group’s clinical competence was significantly higher than that of the control group (t = -4.82, p = .000). However no significant difference was found between the two groups for self-efficacy (t = 1.264, p = .211).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that the direct practice program is effective in improving nursing student’s clinical competence, but it was not effective in increasing self-efficacy. Direct practice in various clinical education settings is recommended and longitudinal effects be evaluated.

Citations

• Levels of Nursing Students’ Core Skills Performance, Satisfaction, and Clinical Judgment According to Four Types of High-risk Neonatal Nursing Simulation during Three Phases
  Eun Jung Cho, Won Kee Lee
  Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2019; 44(2): 206.     CrossRef
• Effects of a Neonatal Nursing Practice Program on Students’ Stress, Self-efficacy, and Confidence
  Yunsoo Kim, Horan Park, Sung Sil Hong, Hee Jin Chung
  Child Health Nursing Research.2018; 24(3): 319.     CrossRef