Fostering Competence and Performance Development in the Nursing Profession in Ghana

This study explored the competence and performance development experiences of nurses working in public hospitals in Ghana. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design. Participants were 25 public sector nurses who were purposively selected from two major hospitals in Ghana. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analytic framework. The findings indicated that nurses develop their competence by training continuously, joining fora, furthering education, and doing research. In addition, the findings revealed that nurses also develop their performance through scientific problem-solving, professionalism, ethics and protocols, nursing interventions, and patient–staff relationships. The findings further showed that favourable staff–manager relationships, staff motivation and satisfaction, and hospital equipment described the nature of a supportive hospital work environment. This study opens an attractive research window on the competence and performance development of public sector nurses in Ghana.