Affiliation:
1. College of Nursing Ewha Womans University Seoul South Korea
2. Department of Nursing Dongnam Health University Gyeonggi South Korea
3. College of Nursing Catholic University of Pusan Busan South Korea
Abstract
AbstractAimTo assess the effectiveness of the Clinical Nurse Educator Support Project and offer valuable insights for supporting nursing education.BackgroundAllocating clinical nursing educators is crucial for supporting novice nurses' transition into the clinical setting and improving their performance.IntroductionIn 2019, the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea implemented the Clinical Nurse Educator Support Project, which involves governmental financial support for the employment of clinical nurse educators.MethodsThis study employed a repeated cross‐sectional design to assess the project outcomes. Following the framework of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model, secondary data from annual self‐program evaluation reports were analyzed to assess program satisfaction, clinical adaptation, and turnover rates of novice nurses. The “Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist” guided the reporting of the study.ResultsThe project played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of nursing education. Novice nurses’ program satisfaction and clinical adaptation consistently remained high or exhibited an increase. The project led to a decrease in turnover rate among novice nurses, while the coronavirus 2019 pandemic resulted in increased turnover rates due to limited clinical practice opportunities for nursing students.ConclusionGovernment support for clinical nurse educators has positively impacted the institutionalization of nursing education. The pressing need is to prioritize not only the enhancement of nursing education quality and the improvement of nurses' working conditions but also the development of healthcare policies and programs to effectively respond to unforeseen challenges and crises.Implications for nursing policyGovernment and healthcare institutions must collaborate to strengthen clinical education, crucial for novice nurses' clinical adaptation. Prioritizing the improvement of nursing education quality and nurses' working conditions is essential. Continuous research and evaluation of the Clinical Nurse Educator Support Project is imperative to assess its impact and make necessary adjustments.