Investigating the factors influencing nursing students’ competency in patient safety

Patient safety competencies among nursing students remain challenging and are influenced by various factors, including student characteristics. This study aimed to assess the correlation between the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), interest, learning motivation, learning style, critical thinking ability, level of patient safety knowledge, and patient safety competencies. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 232 professional nursing students from a private university in Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data on patient safety competencies were collected through observational sheets, while independent variables were assessed using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using chi-squared tests for bivariate analysis and logistic regression for multivariate analysis. Bivariate analysis indicated significant correlations between patient safety competencies and cumulative GPA, interest, learning motivation, critical thinking ability, and the level of patient safety knowledge. Multivariate logistic regression identified interest (OR=2.927) as the strongest influencing factor, followed by GPA (OR=2.424), learning style (OR=1.915), knowledge level (OR=1.904), learning motivation (OR=0.490), and critical thinking ability (OR=0.309). These findings highlighted important implications for nursing education and clinical practice, emphasizing the critical need for integrating patient safety into nursing curricula. Educational strategies should prioritize fostering student interest, enhancing academic performance, accommodating diverse learning styles, promoting critical thinking, and boosting motivation, thereby ultimately improving student competencies and patient safety outcomes.