SOCIALIZATION TO NURSING: THE EFFECT OF A SUMMER NURSE EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM ON ROLE CONCEPTION OF BACCALAUREATE NURSING STUDENTS.
Contributors: Clemson University.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 155
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, General.; Education, Vocational.
Description: Socialization is the process by which nursing students develop their role as nurses. During the transition from school to employment, reality shock may occur due to the conflict between school-bred ideas and the bureaucratic work world ideas. This conflict is role deprivation, the difference between ideal expectations and actual observations.

The purpose of this study was to explore socialization to nursing by studying the effect of a summer nurse externship program on the role conception of baccalaureate nursing students in the Southeastern United States Role conception was measured by the Corwin Nursing Role Conception Scale, including the Lawler Modified Professional Subscale. In addition, demographic data were gathered from a convenience sample of 137 nurse externs, 54 nonexterns, as well as 46 registered nurses with one year post-college graduation experience. Data were analyzed using a one-tailed t-test.

Findings revealed that, after the summer, nurse externs had a nonsignificantly lower role deprivation and higher bureaucratic role conception; nonexterns had significantly (p $<$.0001) more role deprivation than nurse externs. Money and experience in skills and decision-making were the greatest reasons students chose their experiences as well as the greatest benefits.

There was no significant difference in role deprivation between registered nurses who had been nurse externs versus nonexterns. Registered nurses had more role deprivation than nurse externs or nonexterns. Many registered nurses returned to the location of their externship for employment after graduation. Registered nurses in either group had changed jobs a similar number of times.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-01, Section: B, page: 0158.

Thesis (ED.D.)--CLEMSON UNIVERSITY, 1990.

School code: 0050.