Nurse competence provides more individuality in the care of older hospitalized people.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess Registered Nurses' perceptions of general nurse competence, patient-centred care competence, and individuality in the care of older patients and to explore their associations.

Design: A descriptive correlative survey.

Methods: Data were collected using questionnaires at one Finnish university hospital during winter 2016-2017 amongst Registered Nurses (n = 223) and analyzedd statistically using descriptive and inferential statistics (ANOVA, Pearson's correlations coefficients) and path analysis.

Results: Registered Nurses assessed their general competence, patient-centred care competenc,e and individuality in the care of older patients at a good level. The Path model confirmed general nurse competence was a predictor of patient-centred care competence, which in turn was a predictor of individuality in the nursing care of older patients. The novelty lies in empirical confirmation of the association between nurse competence and individuality in the care. Increasing competence may enhance individuality in the care of older people and enable interventions to support care outcomes.