LITERATUS literature for social impact and cultural studies e-ISSN: 2686-5009 Academic Competence and Anxiety Level among Students during Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practicum Ellen Padaunan* Universitas Klabat ellen@unklab.ac.id Grace Fresania Kaparang Universitas Klabat Mutiara Wahyuni Manoppo Universitas Klabat Abstract Clinical practice is intended to expose students to real cases in the field, thus achieving job-ready clinical skills upon completion, and this practice that demand a low level of error because it is done directly on humans can result in anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the competence of undergraduate nursing students and their level of anxiety when facing the practice of mental nursing clinics in mental hospitals. This is correlational participated by 91 students through convenience sampling techniques. Data collection for academic competence was taken from the final score of mental nursing, while the assessment of anxiety levels was to use the DASS 42 questionnaire which was only in the anxiety section. Univariate analysis data showed all participants (100%) were academically competent as measured by graduation results according to the University standard. As for anxiety, the majority of respondents (n=29, 31.9%) experienced severe anxiety, followed by 24 respondents (26.4%) who experienced panic and 24 other respondents (26.4%) experienced severe anxiety. Next, data analysis using the Spearman Rank test showed a value of p=0.318 (>.05) which implies that there is no relationship between academic competence and student anxiety levels in mental nursing clinical practicums. Recommendations for institutions to be able to pay attention to the condition of students because it seems that someone feels panic and severe anxiety, while for respondents who experience anxiety, they could find solutions and communicate them to the clinical instructor. Keywords: academic competence, anxiety, psychiatric nursing clinical practice INTRODUCTION The realization of optimal health degrees as an element of welfare is the ideal of the Indonesian nation as stated in the 1945 Constitution, and in its embodiment, the role of nurses who are health workers with the largest proportion ( Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, 2021) is the spearhead of the implementation of this embodiment. The government considers that there is a need for a "Professional Nursing Professional Standard hereinafter referred to as the Professional Standard" which is "a minimum limit on the ability in the form of professional knowledge, skills, and behaviors that nurses must master and possess to be able to practice nursing in the community independently created by professional organizations." which is contained in the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia of 2019 concerning the Implementing Regulation of Law no. 38 of 2014 concerning Nursing (Ministry of Health, 2019). In response to the ideals of this nation, the nursing professional organization, namely the Indonesian National Nurses Association (PPNI) also strives to establish this professional standard in order to "prepare quality human resources in accordance with the demands of the job market, business world and industry" and "ensure that the community receives competent and safe nursing services and care" (PPNI, 2016). Nursing is "an activity of providing care to individuals, families, groups, or communities, both sick and healthy" (Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, 2019).. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (2019) also defines that nursing practice is carried out in the form of nursing care. In practice, nurses have a high