Artificial Intelligence Utilization and Clinical Competence Among Nursing Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Regulated Learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a valuable educational tool that supports nursing students’ learning processes, clinical preparation, and independent learning. However, the mechanism by which AI use contributes to the development of clinical competence remains underexplored. This study aimed to determine the mediating role of selfregulated learning in the relationship between the use of artificial intelligence and clinical competence among nursing students. The study was conducted among Bachelor of Science in Nursing students enrolled during Academic Year 2025– 2026 at a higher education institution in Western Mindanao, Philippines. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was utilized. The quantitative phase involved 252 nursing students selected through simple random sampling, while the qualitative phase involved eight (8) purposively selected participants who participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were collected using three researcher-adapted questionnaires measuring AI utilization, self-regulated learning, and clinical competence, along with an interview guide for the qualitative component. Quantitative data were analyzed using Jamovi software, including frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, Pearson product-moment correlations, and mediation analyses.