EXPLORATION OF THE EFFECTS OF EXTERNSHIP AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS ON RECENTLY GRADUATED PROFESSIONAL NURSES: IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULAR INNOVATIONS.
Contributors: Georgia State University.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 189
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Education, Adult and Continuing.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Statement of the problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of externship and internship programs on recently graduated professional nurses. These programs were reviewed to examine the variables of attrition, level of job satisfaction, self-reported level of competency, general attitudes toward nursing, and acquisition of continuing education hours.

Methods. This descriptive study sampled 328 nurses from the state of Georgia who had graduated in the years 1987, 1988, and 1989. The sample included nurses who had participated in a nurse externship and/or internship program as well as those who had not had this opportunity. Data were collected by use of a mailed questionnaire which included McCulloch's Nurse Satisfaction Questionnaire, Fingerhut's Nurses' Professional Attitude Scale, Nelson's Nurse Competency Inventory, and a demographic portion developed by the researcher to reveal personal items, number of jobs held since graduation, and number of continuing education hours averaged per year.

Results. An analysis of variance was utilized and revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups of nurses when examining the variables of attrition, level of job satisfaction, self-reported level of competency, general attitudes toward nursing, and number of continuing education hours acquired per year. However, when the variables for job satisfaction were analyzed separately, the variable of "working conditions" indicated a statistically significant difference at the.001 level, with nurses who had participated in an externship and/or internship program being more satisfied with the hospital's policies, practices, and work environment.

Conclusions. Results of this research concluded there were no statistically significant differences in the attrition rate, level of job satisfaction, self-reported competency level, general attitude toward nursing, and number of continuing education hours acquired per year for nurses who had participated in a nurse externship and/or internship program and their counterparts who did not participate in such a program. Recommendations were made regarding curricular innovations which were designed to facilitate the recently graduated nurse's transition into the realities of the practice setting.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-05, Section: A, page: 1622.

Thesis (PH.D.)--GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1991.

School code: 0079.