ACADEMIC PROFILE, PERCEPTION OF COMPETENCE AMONG NURSING STUDENTS AND PERFORMANCE IN THE FINAL EXAM BASED ON HIGH-FIDELITY SIMULATION

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the relationship between academic profile, perception of competence in nursing students, with their performance in the final exam, based on high-fidelity simulation. Material and Method: A quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational study following the STROBE guidelines. The study measured academic profile variables (number of semesters completed, failed subjects, internship grade and 8th semester grade) and the perception of competence in a probabilistic sample of 101 nursing students, prior to the final exam, based on high-fidelity clinical simulation. They were then related to the final exam grades. Results: 36.6% of students took 14 or more semesters to graduate, and 52.4% had failed more than 5 subjects. In the 8th semester, 58.4% obtained a sufficient grade. During the internship, 55.4% received a very good grade. 94% of students perceived their competence as good or excellent before the final exam, and in the final exam, 67.1% had a very good grade, and 6.9% had an excellent grade. Significant relationships were found between students' perceptions of competence and final exam grades (p= 0.012), and between internship grades and final exam grades (p= 0.029). There were no significant relationships between semesters completed, failed subjects, and 8th semester grade with the final exam grade. Conclusion: Before the final exam, nursing students perceive their competence as excellent or good. This perception is related to their performance in the exam and during the internship. The final exam grade is not related to the number of semesters completed, the 8th semester grade or the failed subjects.