Role transition among baccalaureate nursing students at Umm Al Qura University

Abstract

Background: Role transition involves concerted efforts to optimize the transformation of the nursing students into practice nurses with an outstanding experience. Nursing students have different expectations and perceptions towards the role transition process. Graduate nurses lack the competence and sufficient preparation for the ever-changing professional nursing practice. The study purposed to assess the role transition of baccalaureate nursing students from the Umm Al Qura University.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to gather insights from a simple random sample (n = 102) of baccalaureate nursing students from Umm Al Qura University. Data were collected using an electronic self-administered questionnaire from year four and interns nursing students at Umm Al Qura University.

Results: Results indicate that baccalaureate nursing students define role transition as role preparation, role competence, support, and organization. The three elements reveal different personal and organizational factors contributing to the assumption of new roles as registered nurses. Role preparation entails the provision of course content, management skills, teamwork, and multidisciplinary care. Role competence comprised the attainment of fundamental skills while nursing students expected to receive support from the healthcare organizations and the university.

Conclusions: Role transition encompasses role preparation, role competence, support, and organization for the nursing students. Future studies should investigate the contributing factors to the feedback process between the nursing interns or final year students and the RNs or CNMs in the clinical practice during role transition.