Core Competencies and Associated Factors Among Clinical Nurse Educators.
BACKGROUND Clinical nurse educators (CNEs) in China are required to maintain clinical nursing care while undertaking educational management responsibilities, but evidence on their competency profile remains limited. PURPOSE Assess the core competencies of CNEs and identify associated factors. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted with CNEs from hospitals in China using convenience sampling. RESULTS Among the 898 responses, the total competency score was moderate; clinical nursing skills scored highest, and innovation and research competency scored lowest. Competency differed by region, age, professional title, clinical work experience, years as a CNE, initial education, and specialized training (all P < 0.05). Pre-appointment training for clinical teaching was the strongest and most consistent predictor. CONCLUSIONS CNEs reported moderate competency, with the greatest gap in innovation and research. Pre-appointment training was consistently associated with higher competency, highlighting the need for structured preparation for teaching and ongoing professional development.