Using research to identify teaching and learning innovations that will better prepare nursing students for professional practice

In Australia, data is collected by universities across students' institutional tenure to measure and monitor student learning, engagement and experience (DEEWR 2009). This data is often used to assess the performance of a subject, course, faculty or university and also to inform potential marketing materials and campaigns. However, there is very little data (if any) collected to enable universities to assess how well their educational programmes are preparing students for professional practice. This paper is based on a pilot study that aimed to address this gap by asking recent university graduates to provide some feedback on how their undergraduate nursing education programme could better prepare them for professional practice.