Exploration of how nursing students view their clinical competence during training and focused on students registered for the Regulation No. 171 Diploma in Nursing program

This study adopted a qualitative research approach to explore and describe student nurses' views regarding their clinical competence. The participants were chosen through purposive sampling. Face-to-face, semi-structured individual interviews allowed the researcher to explore the views of 12 nursing students. The sample size was determined by data saturation.

The six steps of thematic data analysis, as described by Creswell & Creswell, were used to analyse the data and identify themes and sub-themes. The following six themes emerged from conducted individual interviews with R.171 nursing students at a selected NEI in Gauteng province, namely: inadequate clinical exposure, unsuitable situations in clinical facilities, inadequate competency and confidence, discrepancy between theory and practice, discrimination and hierarchies, and lack of preparation for independent practice. These themes further guided the recommendations for nursing management, nursing practice, nursing education, and future research.