Assessment of the Effectiveness of Clinical Skills Instructional Methods and Competency Acquisition among Community Health Students in Tertiary Institutions of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Clinical skills acquisition is a fundamental component of Community Health education, as it equips students with the competencies required for effective healthcare service delivery. The effectiveness of instructional methods employed during clinical training significantly influences students’ practical competence, confidence, critical thinking abilities, and preparedness for professional practice. This study assessed the effectiveness of clinical skills instructional methods and competency acquisition among Community Health students in tertiary institutions of Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. The study population comprised 1,300 Community Health students from three tertiary health institutions in Nasarawa State: Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), College of Health Sciences and Technology (COHST), and FAMSAS College of Health Sciences and Technology (FAMSAS COHST). The sample size of 400 respondents was determined using the Taro Yamane formula at a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. A multistage sampling technique involving stratified and simple random sampling methods was employed to select respondents proportionately from the participating institutions. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive statistics comprising frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used for data presentation, while Chi-square statistics were used to test associations between instructional methods and competency acquisition at a significance level of p < 0.05
The findings revealed that lecture method (98.1%), clinical posting (87.1%), demonstration method (82.1%), and simulation-based learning (71.7%) were the most commonly utilized instructional approaches. Frequent demonstrations (Mean = 3.61 ± 0.64), simulation laboratories (Mean = 3.55 ± 0.69), and supervised practical sessions significantly enhanced competency acquisition. Significant relationships were observed between demonstration method (χ² = 8.214, p = 0.004), simulation-based learning (χ² = 6.532, p = 0.011), clinical posting (χ² = 9.146, p = 0.002), and competency acquisition.
The study concluded that practical-oriented instructional methods significantly improve competency acquisition among Community Health students. It recommends strengthening simulation-based learning facilities, expanding supervised clinical postings, and promoting competency-based instructional approaches to enhance healthcare education outcomes.

Clinical skills, instructional methods, competency acquisition

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