Factors Influencing Senior Practicum Readiness for Nursing Practice: A Descriptive Correlational Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Practice Readiness
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Investigated factors influencing nursing students' readiness for practice.
• Explored the impact of belongingness, self-efficacy, and clinical support.
• Examined demographic and program differences in nursing education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the influence of belongingness, self-efficacy, and clinical learning support on readiness for nursing practice.
• To explore the role of demographic factors and nursing program differences in practice readiness.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for enhancing nursing student preparedness.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative, descriptive study design.
• Survey administered to undergraduate prelicensure senior nursing students nationwide.
• Statistical analyses including descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• Students in Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs reported higher readiness scores than associate degree program students (p < .01).
• Fewer clinical hours (≤400) and single preceptor assignments correlated with higher scores (p < .01, p < .05).
• Self-efficacy and learning support explained 47.9% of the variance in practice readiness (p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Clinical experiences significantly shape nursing students' readiness for practice.
• Recommendations include optimizing clinical hours and preceptor assignments.
• Enhancing student support systems is crucial for improving practice readiness.