Supporting Transition and Practice Readiness Through Nursing Clinical Externships: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND

Globally, new graduate nurses face persistent transition challenges and high turnover rates that threaten workforce stability and patient care quality-issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical nurse externship (CNE) programs have emerged as structured experiential learning models that bridge the academic-practice gap through mentorship and clinical immersion.

METHOD: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Reviews framework, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, MEDLINE (via Ovid), and EBSCO's Nursing & Allied Health Reference Source. Eligible studies involved undergraduate nursing students participating in CNE programs. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted, and thematically analyzed the data.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria, revealing five themes: clinical competence, emotional impact, relationships and support, nursing values, and professional preparedness. CNE participation consistently enhanced competence, confidence, and professional identity while reducing anxiety and transition stress.

CONCLUSION

CNE programs effectively strengthen work-force readiness, retention, and the transition from education to practice, underscoring their value as a strategic element in global nursing education and workforce planning.