Introduction: Clinical competence of nursing students has been mentioned as the main goal and effectiveness criteria of nursing education which includes the ability of applying knowledge and information, communication and interpersonal skills, problem solving and technical skills.Aim: The aim of this study is assessment level of Clinical competence in nursing students.Method: This is an analytic-descriptive; cross-sectional study. All 90 eligible nursing students who were in their 5 to 8 semester in Sabzevar University of medical sciences during 2011 were studied. Data collection tool was Clinical competence questioner. Its questions were designed by researcher to evaluate students in three domains of cognitive, Affective and Psycho-motor abilities. Validity of the questionnaire was measured by content validity and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) was (a=0.94). Samples were asked to describe their Clinical competence by self-assessment form. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16.Results: The mean scores of the affective and psychomotor domains was (3.32) and students assessed their Clinical competence in these two domains with 1% error higher than average 3 (P<0.001). The mean difference in cognitive domain (3.05) doesn’t significantly differ from the society mean which means respondents have assessed their cognitive Clinical competence in average level. Students have assessed their overall Clinical competence a greater than average (of 3) (P<0.001).Conclusion: In conclusion students have assessed their own Clinical competencies a little higher than average. Clinical competence is main goal of nursing education and achieving the maximum desired result depends on the effectiveness of education methods and best utilization of facilities and resources. The next step should be seeking possible methods to achieve the highest level of Clinical competence in nursing students during and after their education.

Introduction: Organizational commitment is a critical factor in achieving organizational goals، understanding organizational behavior، and is an important element in improving the quality of care. On the other hand، Clinical competence of nurses affects the effectiveness and success of health care organizations. Aim: The study was conducted to determine the relationship between organizational commitment and nurses' Clinical Competency. Material & Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted among nurses in a hospital in Najaf Abad city، Isfahan province، 2015. In this study a total of 135 nurses were included via census method. The tools included self reported questionnaires consisting personal information inventory، organizational commitment questionnaire (including three dimensions; affective، normative and continuance commitment)، and Clinical competence questionnaire (in seven dimensions for assessing 73 skills)، whose validity and validity were confirmed by Alpha-Chronbach that were 0. 79 and 0. 95 respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (distribution tables، mean، standard deviation) and Pearson correlation coefficient test using SPSS version 17 (P <0. 05). Results: The Clinical competence of nurses was good (74. 42 ± 11. 69) and their organizational commitment was moderate (91 ± 10. 77). Overall organizational commitment had a positive correlation with Clinical competence in the areas of quality assurance (r=0. 256، P = 0. 002) and education and guidance (r=0. 176، P = 0. 037). In addition، emotional commitment had a direct correlation with total Clinical competence (r=0. 170، P = 0. 045) and dimensions of quality assurance (r=0. 185، P = 0. 028)، education and guidance (r=0. 190، P = 0. 024)، and diagnostic measures (r=0. 205، P = 0. 015). Conclusion: According to the findings it is recommended that nurse managers apply all of the strategies that would be increase nurses' emotional commitment. Because the increasing of nurses' emotional commitment can help to quality of nursing care

Objective (s): With the ever-growing increase of knowledge in today’s global society, teachers now feel it is necessary to train students to become reflective thinkers. This issue is particularly important for nursing students who are responsible for taking care of patients.Method: Forty-two nursing students voluntarily participated in this study. After explaining the aims of the study to the participants, they took part in the Clinical skills test. They were divided into two equal case and control groups. The control group took part in routine Clinical programs and the cases participated in routine Clinical programs plus an interventional program. They were asked to reflect on their Clinical experiences for the last 12 weeks of their Clinical course and take part in the Clinical skills test again. Baseline and post-test data were compared among two groups.Results: The results confirmed the role of reflection on Clinical Competency, and the two groups were different with respect to learning Clinical skills.Conclusion: The findings suggest that Clinical skills test should be implemented in the nursing curriculum in Iran as one of the necessary criteria for Competency.

Background & Objective: Nurses form the most significant sector of the health care provision and play a fundamental role in providing on-going quality care for patients. To attain Clinical Competency, it is essential to understand the factors influencing it. Due to the fact that Clinical Competency is directly affected by specific features of the educational and health care system and the medical training within each country, it is necessary to assess the factors influencing Clinical Competency. Materials & Methods: This study was based on the Grounded Theory method. The sample of 36 comprised of Clinical nurses, as well as trainers and managers within the Ministry of Health and Medical Training, Nursing and Midwifery faculties, hospitals and members of the Nursing Council in Tehran. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews, which were recorded and subsequently transcribed. The analysis was carried out by the Straus and Corbin method.Results: In this study, personal factors were identified as one of the contextual factors affecting Clinical Competency. The respondents branded this category as "the internal and personal factors". This included a significant number of sub-categories such as education and skill, moral values, consciousness responsibility and accountability. Another category was identified as "the external and organizational factors" which included categories such as educational and Clinical environments, work license, control and supervision and effective educational system.Conclusion: The Clinical Competency process resulted from the interaction between three factors; ethics, effective experience and environmental factors.

Dear Editor, The landscape of medical knowledge is changing constantly. On average, 50% of medical knowledge becomes obsolete in every four to five years (75% in every eight to ten years). Continuing education is considered a general principle in the healthcare system. This concept has been recognized globally since 1974. In Iran, it was first integrated experimentally in 1990 and officially approved in 1996 (1). The role of physicians in the health system is very important. Physicians are the main decision-makers in the health system, and their knowledge and attitude determine what services, in what form and at what expense, should be delivered to patients. The 2012 General Medical Council guidelines on health leadership and management particularly describe the physician’ s responsibility to be more than merely “ a good specialist” . The notion of “ five-star doctor” , which involves a combination of Clinical skills and behavioral and managerial abilities, has been described in the Clinical management literature (2)...