Abstract: Objective To explore the mediating role of patient safety competence between clinical learning environment and safety behavior among nursing interns in higher vocational colleges. Methods Convenience sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey was conducted on 450 nursing interns in a higher vocational college in Longyan from November to December 2023,using general information questionnaire,clinical learning environment scale,patient safety competence scale and nurse safety behavior scale,and the data were analyzed. Results The total score of safety behaviors among nursing interns was （47.93±9.65）points,the total score of clinical learning environment was （143.46±34.65）points,and the total score of patient safety competence was （107.37±21.18）points. Safe behavior was positively correlated with clinical learning environment and patient safety competence（r=0.716,0.656,both P<0.01）,and clinical learning environment was positively correlated with patient safety competence（r=0.498, P<0.01）. The patient safety competence of nursing interns played a partial mediating role between the clinical learning environment and safety behaviors,with the mediating effect accounting for 27.68% of the total effect. Conclusion Safety behavior of nursing interns need to be improved in some specific aspects. A better clinical learning environments has an indirect effect on nursing interns' safety behavior through patient safety competency.

Key words: Clinical learning environment, Higher vocational college, Nursing, Interns, Safety behavior, Patient safety competency, Mediation