1.      Background

The Institute of Medicine [1] focus on nursing report identifies that the need of well- prepared nurses has a direct impact on the population. Patients are living longer with multiple co-morbidities. Patients also seek out care when they are much sicker than years prior.

Dyess and Sherman (2009) presented that new graduates that are licensed via the NCLEX, ten percent of hospital executives feel they are prepared to give safe care. This fact is alarming since new nurses represent twenty percent of the nursing workforce. Different approaches are currently being examined through literature reviews and research studies on programs to create for positive impact on patient health care outcomes.

2.      Nursing Education

Nursing Education has and continues to evolve. Teaching methodologies have moved from teacher driven to student learner driven.  Because the health care industry is quickly changing and the demands on nursing personnel have increased, so nursing education has to prepare nurses to work in this environment.

The National Credentialing Licensure Exam(NCLEX) is a computerized exam that measures predictability of basic safe care for RNs for have completed an approved nursing program. Once a nursing graduate passes, they are licensed to practice as a registered nurse. However, skills and knowledge is not measured in actual patient care safety competencies.

3.      Preceptorships

Preceptorship is a model of teaching through role modeling and hands on instruction forclinical practice.  It can be performed and evaluated a different stages of the nursing student's educational journey. One study [2] reviewed preceptorship on a dedicated educational unit which allowed students to have learning experiences on the concepts presented on the unit assigned. Students also precepted with the same assigned nurse per week and the hours they worked. Limitation to this study for DEUS are no replication of this study at this time. There is certainly a gap in the research.

Myers (2010) [3] looked at the safety concerns of new practicing registered nurses and their preceptors. This quantitative study identified the perceptions of the new nurses and the preceptors collectively and then individually. Collectively both groups felt it was a positive experience. Individually both groups would have benefited with clear guideline competencies for evaluation. Preceptors also noted that new nurses had difficulties with advanced critical thinking, time management for patient care and confidence.

4.      Academic and Clinical Partnerships

Academic partnerships with clinical partners were identified as an option due tothe lack of clinical affiliations providing clinical experiences to nursing students.  Some literature was noted discussing the topic however there were no repeated studies that reviewed the impact. Thought was that the clinical partner will have an exclusive contract with academic partners and the graduates would return service once completed to the hospital [4]. The positive is that the hospital can be very involved in clinical teaching and have new nurses ready to be hired already trained.

5.      Conclusion

Nursing education plays a pivotal and crucial role in preparing new nurses to transition to the profession with safe and effective practices. However, research has multiple gaps that need to be explored and replicated for better standards to followed by each board of nursing. This will also patients to experience safe and effective care with better outcomes.

1. Emerson R and Records (2008) Today's challenge tomorrow's excellence. Practice of evidenced based education. Journal of Nursing education 47: 359-70.
2. Mulready- Shick J, Banister G, Kafel K (2009) Enhancing quality and safety competency development at the unit level. An initial evaluation of student learning and clinical teaching on dedicated education units. Journal of Nursing Education 48: 716-719.
3. Myers S, Reiday P, French B McHale J, Chisholm M, et al. (2010) Safety concerns of hospital based new to practice registered nurses and their preceptors. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing 41: 163-171.
4. Debourgh G (2012) Synergy for patient safety and quality; academic and service partnerships to promote effective nurse education and clinical practice. Journal of professional Nursing 28: 48-61.