Clinical Practice Competency and Associated Factors Among Midwifery and Nursing Students in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

ABSTRACT Background Clinical practice competency is crucial for midwifery and nursing students, as it directly impacts the quality of patient care and health outcomes. Aim/Objective This systematic review and meta‐analysis aims to evaluate the level of clinical practice competency among midwifery and nursing students in Ethiopia and identify associated factors influencing their competency. Design A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE , Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Hinari and Google Scholar. Methods Studies were included if they examined clinical practice competency among midwifery and nursing students in Ethiopia and were published before 10 August 2025. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction and quality assessment, with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer. Meta‐analysis was performed using random‐effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 statistics. Results The review included nine studies with a total of 2706 participants. The pooled proportion of clinical practice competency among midwifery and nursing students was 39.02% (95% CI: 29.95%–48.09%), showing substantial heterogeneity ( I 2  = 96.14%). Factors significantly associated with competency included conducive clinical settings (AOR = 2.92), positive attitudes and confidence (AOR = 2.70), instructor support (AOR = 2.97), clinical preceptor support (AOR = 4.44) and encouragement from clinical staff (AOR = 3.95). Conclusions The review revealed a low clinical practice competency rate of 39.02%, indicating a critical need for improved training. Factors positively impacting competency highlight the importance of supportive environments and targeted interventions to enhance clinical skills among nursing and midwifery students. Limitations The most significant limitation of this systematic review is the high degree of heterogeneity among the included studies, as reflected by an I 2 value of 96.14%. Trial Registration PROSPERO: CRD420251111145