Determining the competency dimensions of supervisor professor from the nursing students’ viewpoints: A qualitative study

Introduction: With regard to the importance of students’ curricular guiding and its effect on their educational process and the quality of university, the prophecy of supervisor professor is very important in students’ professional growth. Thus, this study was accomplished with the purpose of assigning the competency dimensions of supervisor professors from the nursing students’ viewpoints in 2009. Methods: In this qualitative study, the data were gathered through focus group discussion. Fifteen nursing students were selected by purposive sampling and their experiences and viewpoints were surveyed for assigning the competencies of supervisor professors until achieving data saturation. After that, the interviews content was recorded with the participants’ permission. Thematic analysis was performed to identify the categories and subcategories found in the nursing students’ descriptions. Results: According to the analysis of the recorded interviews, 2 major categories were emerged: 1) Competency dimensions and roles of supervisor professor including personal and ethical competency, education and research management competency, and leadership and motivating competency and 2) Barriers of effectiveness of supervisor professor performance were determined. Conclusion: According to the results, being supportive, a good listener, and professional commitment were introduced as personal and ethical competencies of supervisor professor and facilitating the professionalism of nursing students is the important role in this dimension. Supervising on the students’ educational situation, making them familiar with research, and motivating them were discussed as management and leadership competencies. The participants emphasized on the continuous performance appraisal of supervisor professor, determining students’ special empowerments and introducing their responsibility domains in the beginning of entrance to a college, as well as establishing in–service education in order to enhance performance quality of supervisor professor.