Summer extern programs, in which nursing students work full time for 6-8 weeks in acute care settings are common in many areas. Despite the existence of these programs for many years, there is a paucity of research on the impact of the experiences on nursing students’ confidence or clinical competence. The need for nursing education programs to partner with clinical agencies has never been more critical. Patricia Benner called for a radical transformation of academia that connects clinical and classroom education to better prepare entry level nurses to enter into the workforce. In addition, the contemporary complexity of patient care, expansion of degree completion programs, and faculty shortages, all substantially influence the need for an innovative approach for education and collaborative practice partnerships. Summer externships for nursing students represent a joint effort between academic and practice to breach the academic/practice gap. Data on the outcomes of these programs are crucial to justify the required resources necessary for implementation.
Purpose
The purpose of this Collaborative Partnership program is to determine if nursing extern programs at an acute care institution will increase students’ clinical confidence and knowledge.
Methods
Towson University Department of Nursing forged partnerships with five area health systems (Howard County General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, Sinai Medical Center, St. Joseph Medical Center and University of Maryland Medical Center) to provide additional clinical experiences for students as full time hospital employees during the summer. Some students continued to work part-time during the semester following their externship. Data on clinical confidence and competence were gathered by self-report by the Casey-Fink Readiness for practice surveys. Analyses were conducted to determine the student summer externship had a significant impact on clinical confidence and competence.
Sample
Twenty four nursing students were included in the sample. The inclusion criteria were the Towson University nursing students going into their senior year. The exclusion criteria were Towson University Nursing students who were in their junior year of nursing school. The students worked full-time during the summer prior to their last year of nursing school. Students worked at one of the hospitals as either a student nurse or nursing tech whichever the hospital chooses. In addition to increasing confidence and competence, students are frequently hired by the hospital in which they worked upon graduation and successful completion of the NCLEX Exam. Outcome data includes Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Surveys, satisfaction surveys from students, preceptors, nurse managers and program educators, and ongoing process analysis.
Findings
In the first year of the 5-year program, 24 students were placed in a summer extern program with partner health care systems. Data reveals that student roles during their externships influenced satisfaction with the program as well as gaining confidence in their role. Overall, students reported increased level of confidence with clinical skills and acclimation to the hospital environment.
Discussion
Nursing schools and Hospitals should have a collaborative working environment. The benefits for nursing students is that they will be more confident and prepared to safely take care of patients. The results of this partnership show that students and hospitals will benefit from this collaboration.
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