Entrepreneurial Competence and Readiness among Medical Surgical Nursing Students: Effect of an Educational Program

Abstract

Background:     Entrepreneurship is highly encouraged in today's world and becomes area of the crucial channels for the development of economies of countries. Nursing Entrepreneurship presents an opportunity to explore nursing's professional potential in practice and increase recognition of the value of nursing. It is not at all about starting new business, but is about making student creative, opportunity oriented, proactive, and innovative in all walks of life.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of an educational program on entrepreneurial competence and readiness among medical surgical nursing students.

Methods: A pre-experimental design (pre-posttest) was utilized with a convenient sample of 290 medical surgical nursing students (male and female) enrolled in the entrepreneurship course and were willing to participate (the academic year 2022-2023). An adapted Entrepreneurial Competence and Readiness Questionnaire was utilized. Cronbach's Alpha was utilized to ensure internal consistency of the instrument. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were utilized to analyze the data.

Results: There was a statistically significant difference between pre and post-program among students regarding entrepreneurial competence and level of readiness (t = 124.5, p = 0.000).

Conclusion: A university entrepreneurship educational program has an obvious effect in increasing competency and level of entrepreneurial readiness among medical surgical nursing students. Recommendation: Entrepreneurial educations should be included within the curricula of all universities.