Nursing Students' Satisfaction and Self-Confidence After Short-Term Clinical Preparation: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: The transition from theoretical knowledge to clinical practice poses significant challenges for nursing students globally. This critical period requires comprehensive educational support to build confidence and competence. While short-term preparatory courses have shown promise internationally, their effectiveness within the Saudi Arabian context remains understudied. This study aimed to evaluate nursing students' satisfaction and self-confidence following participation in short-term preparatory courses conducted before clinical placements at Taibah University, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2025. Data were collected from 117 undergraduate nursing students (response rate: 80.7%) using a validated questionnaire adapted from the National League for Nursing's Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning instrument. The preparatory courses included nursing care plan development, hospital orientation, and infection control procedures delivered over two weeks. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Students reported high levels of satisfaction (mean = 4.29 ± 0.92) and self-confidence (mean = 4.31 ± 0.81) scores. The highest satisfaction was with instructor effectiveness (mean = 4.31 ± 1.05) and teaching methods (mean = 4.32 ± 1.01). Students demonstrated strong confidence in personal learning responsibility (mean = 4.44 ± 0.88) and skill development (mean = 4.32 ± 0.95). A strong positive correlation existed between satisfaction and self-confidence (r = 0.79, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Short-term preparatory courses effectively enhanced nursing students' satisfaction and self-confidence in the Saudi Arabian context. The strong correlation between these constructions suggests that educational interventions improving one dimension is likely to benefit the other. These findings support integrating structured preparatory programs into nursing curricula to facilitate successful clinical transitions.