Structured Reflective Practice: Professional Identity Formation and Workforce Outcomes in Prelicensure Nurse Externs.

Background

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.