Enhancing the safety climate among nursing students: The role of clinical instructors' evidence-based practice competencies

Aims: To evaluate the evidence-based practice (EBP) competency levels of clinical instructors and their role in promoting a safety climate for nursing students. Background: Establishing a safety climate in nursing education is vital, particularly during clinical training. However, the contributions of clinical instructors to this environment remain underexplored. Design: Cross-sectional study using a self-reported questionnaire. Methods: The study involved 146 licensed clinical instructors with at least one year of experience. Participants were recruited via social media and personal outreach. Data included sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, EBP competency levels, perceptions of workplace safety and contributions to the safety climate for nursing students. Statistical analyses used Pearson correlations and hierarchical linear regression. Results: Clinical instructors who were married or partnered (β = 0.180; p = 0.012), worked in central regions (β = 0.161; p = 0.014), held managerial roles (β = 0.206; p = 0.004), had high EBP knowledge and skills (β = 0.182; p = 0.012) and reported positive workplace safety perceptions (β = 0.565; p < 0.001) significantly contributed to improving the safety climate for nursing students. The model was statistically significant, explaining 56.8 % of the variance in safety climate enhancement (Adjusted R² = 54.0 %). Conclusion: Clinical instructors play a crucial role in fostering a safety climate for nursing students, with factors such as EBP competency, workplace perceptions and managerial responsibilities influencing their contributions. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions that enhance clinical instructors’ skills and promote a supportive and safety-focused culture in clinical education.