From school to work: employer perceptions of nursing skills

Questions periodically arise regarding clinical competencies and students' ability to perform in the employment setting after graduating from a baccalaureate nursing (BSN) program. This article describes a collaborative project between a nurse administrator in an acute care facility and a nurse educator in a baccalaureate nursing program. The project was designed to evaluate whether expected competencies of BSN graduates were evident in the work setting. Skills and behaviors of BSN graduates were evaluated by 68 nurses in an acute care setting. The findings provide data for nurse administrators to assist with planning staff development and continuing education programs for nursing staff. The results also provide data for nurse educators to assist with evaluation of effectiveness of nursing programs.