Exploring nursing faculty, managers, newly graduated nurses, and students' experiences of nursing internship program...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Training
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Final-year nursing students require robust clinical training for safe patient care.
• Internship programs offer supervised, paid practical experience, bridging academic learning with hospital settings.
• Understanding stakeholder experiences is vital for optimizing nursing internship programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of nursing faculty, managers, new graduates, and students regarding nursing internship program implementation.
• To identify facilitators and barriers within the nursing internship program.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive qualitative study was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022.
• Data were gathered through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 47 participants (students, managers, faculty, preceptors, new graduates).
• Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze interview data.

Main Results:

• Five key themes emerged: 'facilitation of socialization process,' 'filling the gap between theory and practice,' 'improving self-confidence and independence,' 'an opportunity for clinical skill training,' and 'Achilles' heel of the clinical setting.'
• Nineteen subthemes further detailed participants' experiences within the internship program.
• The program was perceived as beneficial for skill development and professional integration.

Conclusions:

• Nursing internships are crucial for preparing students for professional practice, enhancing skills, confidence, and employability.
• Addressing internship challenges requires collaborative meetings to define working hours, standards, and amenities.
• Optimizing internship programs strengthens professional commitment and inspires the nursing profession.