Date of Award
Fall 11-1-2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology
First Advisor
Susan M. Powers
Second Advisor
Noble Corey
Third Advisor
Gayle Roux
Abstract
This study examined the effects of two hospital-based clinical programs for student nurses on six dimensions of nursing. The two programs included a I 0-week student nurse summer extern program which was offered to nursing students who had completed a minimum of two clinical semesters of nursing school. The second program, a 12-week student nurse intern program, was offered to student nurses during their last semester of nursing school prior to eligibility for the national registered nurse licensure exam. The Schwirian Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing was used as a pretest and posttest self-assessment at the beginning and endings of each of the clinical programs. Data was collected on thirty-two student nurse externs and thirty-nine student nurse interns over a two-year period. Fifty one questions on the instrument were divided into six dimensions of nursing which included teaching, planning, leadership, interpersonal communication, critical care, and professional development. The results showed that the students who emerged from both the student nurse extern and student nurse intern programs demonstrated significant progression of selfreported perceptions of their ability to adequately perform specific nursing activities as identified in the Schwirian Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance. These findings support Benner's theory that the novice nurse progresses toward a higher level of competence through both appropriate experience and time spent in clinical practice. The Student Nurse Externs showed significantly more progression in the dimension of professional development than did the Student Nurse Interns. This finding may have been a result of the extern's inherent motivation as evidenced by the fact that they spent their summer working in an extern program to enhance their nursing skill level.
Recommended Citation
LaMar, Jerrilee, "The Use of Increased Clinical Opportunities for Student Nurses At Two Different Intervals Within the Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum" (2004). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3476.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/3476
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