Graduate entrants into nursing - are we meeting their needs?
Changes to statutory requirements led to the need to redesign the current shortened programme for graduates (SPG) offered by the University of Dundee. A review of the literature revealed very little published material relating to this type of programme and that which did exist was predominantly American in origin. Prior to developing a new programme a study was carried out. The aim of the study was to explore the attitudes and opinions of non-nurse graduates currently undertaking the accelerated pre-registration programme of study offered by the University of Dundee.


METHODS
Purposive sampling was adopted and all students currently undertaking the programme were invited to participate. Data were collected using three focus group interviews with a minimum of five and a maximum of seven participants. All interviews were tape-recorded. The tapes were transcribed and data analysed using a content analysis approach.


RESULTS
Several important themes and sub-themes emerged from the interviews. These were consistent across all groups. The themes were:


CONCLUSIONS
The data offered a rich insight into the attitudes and opinions of students undertaking the current SPG. The findings supported those of previous studies and have been used to inform curriculum development.
Halkett
Ann
A
University of Dundee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ninewells Dundee, UK. a.halkett@dundee.ac.uk
McLafferty
Ella
E
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000592:standards; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012606:Scotland; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors