Clinical performance of university nursing graduates.

This study investigated the clinical performance of new nurse graduates during their first year of nursing and the relationship between this clinical performance and the length of clinical experience in their pre-service nursing education program. The study was carried out over the period of one calendar year beginning in early 1990. From an initial sample of 402 graduates, a representative sub-sample of 115 was chosen for closer study. The sub-sample was comprised of a high and low group of graduates, with the low group having received fewer hours of clinical experience during their pre-service program. On various occasions during the research the sample and sub-sample were surveyed using a modified version of the Scale of Nursing Performance (SNP). The Nursing Unit Managers (NUMs) of the sub-sample were also regularly asked to assess the nursing performance of these graduates. The findings question whether unreserved support can be given to the argument that more hours of clinical experience for student nurses will always result in more clinically competent registered nurses.