Authors

1Mar Lleixá Fortuño2Mercè Gisbert Cervera2Luis Marqués Molías3Núria Albacar Riobóo1Pilar Monteso Curto1C

Position

¹Doctora. Profesora del Departamento de Enfermería de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili.²Doctores. Profesores del Departamen

Contact email: mar.lleixa@urv.cat

Abstract

The beginning of all professional activity causes high levels of stress. Some of the main causes of stress in this situation are an unknown work environment and the perceived lack of adequate professional skills and expertise to face clinical practice with confidence.

Objectives: to ascertain the degree of confidence and the perceived need for support expressed by third year Nursing students of the Rovira y Virgili University (URV) Campues Terres de l’Ebre (CTE), who are finalizing their studies and about to join the professional job market.

Methodology: descriptive and cross-sectional study; the instrument used for data collection was a self-administered questionnaire specifically designed and validated for this study.

Results: over half of the students who were surveyed claim they feel insecure about joining the job market and the competences for which the highest number of surveyed students feel they need the most help are: “Assessing, diagnosing and tackling changing situations”, “helping the patient to comply with treatment and involve him or her in the process”, “facilitating the adaptation/coping process” and “contributing to ensuring safety and the care delivery process”; students’ clinical practicum work influences their preferences for the services they feel more inclined to work in; all students considered having a tutor who provided guidance and helped them throughout the job placement period a positive thing.

Conclusions: by ascertaining the insecurity perceived by the majority of students as well as the need for help perceived by some future first-time professionals it will be possible to propose improvement measures that favour job placement and the initial phases of job entry amongst nurses.

Keywords:

clinical practicum; competence; First-time nurse; initiation protocol; job placement; perceived confidence

Versión en Español

Título:

¿Qué piensan los futuros profesionales de Enfermería sobre la inserción laboral?