Recent RN graduate perceptions of educational preparation.

Nursing education programs strive to deliver curricula that prepare and transition graduates not just to survive but to truly thrive in any workplace environment. It is therefore important to reach out to those who have recently entered the nursing workforce to understand their views on educational preparation for practice. The purpose of this descriptive survey was to examine the perceptions of recent nurse graduates with regard to how well their educational programs prepared them for practice in their first jobs as registered nurses. Three hundred fifty-two nurses registered in the state of Nevada who graduated from a basic nursing program within the past five years completed the Survey of Nurses' Perceptions of Educational Preparation. Respondents perceived they were inadequately prepared in pharmacology, clinical practice, leadership/management, and the use of patient electronic medical records. In addition, respondents felt their programs prepared them more for success on the NCLEX-RN than for practice. Recommendations for addressing these issues are offered.