Structured Reflective Practice: Professional Identity Formation and Workforce Outcomes in Prelicensure Nurse Externs
Elise Turnbach, Beth Ann WhiteBackground:
Professional identity in nursing (PIN) is a concept used to describe how a nurse thinks, acts, and feels. PIN begins forming in the prelicensure program and is critical to registered nurse (RN) outcomes.
Problem:
At one organization, nurse externs (NEs) had inconsistent RN conversion rates. The NE program did not include targeted interventions to develop PIN.
Approach:
A quality improvement project implemented structured reflective practice into the NE program. PIN was measured pre- and post-intervention using the Nursing Professional Values Scale-Three.
Outcomes:
There was an increase in Nursing Professional Values Scale-Three scores in 14 of 17 participants. Of the 17 NEs, 16 (94.1%) transitioned into patient care technician positions, and 12 have been hired as full-time RNs. Several others have verbally committed to accepting an RN position when one becomes available.
Conclusion:
Reflective practice is a pedagogy that may support the growth of professional identity in prelicensure NEs and may have workforce implications.