Nurse Preceptor Perceptions of Nursing Student Progress Toward Readiness for Practice

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• New nurses often face challenges meeting practice expectations.
• Identifying student learning needs is crucial for seamless transition to practice.
• Nurse educators must assess readiness for entry-level nursing roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of senior nursing students.
• To determine readiness for nursing practice prior to graduation.
• To inform curriculum development and clinical training.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive, exploratory study design.
• Nurse preceptors assessed senior nursing students.
• Evaluation focused on affective, cognitive, psychomotor domains, and general readiness.

Main Results:

• Students excelled in professional attributes.
• Areas for improvement included time management and prioritization.
• Weaknesses identified in managing multiple patients and pharmacology knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Targeted interventions can address identified student weaknesses.
• Strengthening academic-clinical partnerships is essential.
• Improving student readiness enhances patient safety and healthcare outcomes.