Table 2: Mean Differences in Variables among Low, Medium, and High Clinical Competence Groups (N=222)
Note: LG=Low Group; MG=Medium Group; HG=High Group; GPA=Grade Point Average; + dummy coded 1=had a bachelor degree, GPA>4, had instructions by preceptors.
Variables LG(n=32) MG(n=140) HG(n=50) F p
M(SD) M(SD) M(SD)
Clinical Competence 159.69 (6.99) 180.68 (7.59) 196.74 (12.47) 171.99 <.001
Bachelor degree+ 0.25( .44) 0.24 ( .43) 0.24( .43) 0.02 .985
GPA>4.00+ 0.16( .37) 0.19 ( .39) 0.42( .50) 6.56 .002
Duration of working 4.09 (1.33) 4.71(2.46) 4.73 (2.22) 1.02 .362
Duration of job orientation Theory (week) 1.57 (1.19) 1.63 (1.16) 2.09 (1.26) 3.09 .047
Duration of job orientation Practice (week) 2.49 (1.39) 2.74 (1.84) 3.31 (2.26) 2.30 .103
Instruction by preceptor+ 0.84(0.37) 0.84 (0.37) 0.90(0.30) 0.61 .547
Previous clinical experience in the employed hospital 0.38(0.49) 0.51 (0.50) 0.56(0.50) 1.37 .256
Critical thinking disposition 88.06 (7.12) 94.12 (6.65) 99.48 (8.80) 24.60 <.001
Openness 2.86(0.38) 3.05 (0.41) 3.00(0.44) 2.70 .070
Intellectual integrity 2.61(0.38) 2.85 (0.28) 3.07(0.27) 23.51 <.001
Truth-seeking 2.52(0.38) 2.75 (0.41) 2.97(0.34) 13.66 <.001
Inquisitiveness 2.50(0.31) 2.71 (0.32) 2.90(0.40) 14.35 <.001
Challenge 2.48(0.30) 2.64 (0.37) 2.70(0.51) 3.06 .049
Objectivity 2.53(0.31) 2.61 (0.31) 2.73(0.29) 4.25 .015
Prudence 2.45(0.40) 2.58 (0.36) 2.73(0.37) 6.25 .002
Creativity 2.23(0.46) 2.39 (0.43) 2.66(0.41) 11.06 <.001
Practice environment 39.53 (5.47) 40.91 (5.37) 42.64 (5.64) 3.42 .035
Registered nurse-physician collaboration 2.79 (0.41) 2.94 (0.42) 3.02 (0.43) 2.87 .059
Autonomy 2.81 (0.43) 2.88 (0.38) 2.96 (0.38) 1.53 .219
Control over practice 2.45 (0.42) 2.53 (0.49) 2.69 (0.48) 2.87 .059