The influence of undergraduate education on professional practice transition: a comparative descriptive study

Graduates from Problem/Context Based Learning (CBL) undergraduate nursing programs often express concern that they may not be as well prepared for transition to graduate nursing practice as their colleagues from more traditional lecture-based programs.

To determine if there is a difference in how graduates from CBL and non-CBL programs describe their transition to graduate practice within the first 2 years of graduation.

This was a comparative descriptive study that involved the use of a web-based survey. A convenience sample of 163 graduate nurses with 1 to 2 years of experience consented to be part of the study. They completed a researcher-designed questionnaire, which consisted of 26 items based on entry to practice competencies identified by the provincial professional nursing organization.

There was no significant difference in the transition experience of graduates from CBL and traditional education programs within their first 2 years following graduation. These results confirm the findings of authors who compared transition among CBL and non-CBL graduates who had graduated anywhere from six months to several years following graduation.

It is clear that CBL programs do prepare graduates to successfully transition into graduate nurse practice. Graduates from both CBL and non-CBL programs indicated a need for more formal agency sponsored orientation and transition assistance programs at the beginning of their initial employment.