Introduction: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Israeli Ministry of Health granted temporary authorization for nursing graduates who had completed their studies but had not yet taken the Governmental Licensing Exam in Nursing (GLEIN) to work in hospital wards with expanded responsibilities typically designated for registered nurses. This study aimed to evaluate whether clinical work experience in hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic positively impacted nursing students’ scores on the GLEIN. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted at a Nursing School in Israel. The participants comprised nursing students enrolled in the Career Retraining to Nursing Program for Graduates of Other Academic Professions, all registered to take the June 2020 GLEIN. Results: The analysis included sixty-eight students: 23 who were recruited to work as nurses at the pandemic’s outset and 45 who did not engage in work during this period. No statistically significant differences were found in demographic characteristics or average grades obtained in the preceding academic year between the two groups. However, the group with clinical work experience demonstrated statistically significantly higher average final grades and GLEIN scores compared to their counterparts without work experience. Furthermore, work experience was identified as a predictor of higher scores on the GLEIN. Conclusion: Clinical work experience plays a crucial role in achieving elevated scores on the GLEIN, extending beyond the impact of academic performance alone. Such experience equips students for practical roles in the field and is anticipated to align the expectations of novice nurses, thereby fostering nurse retention post-graduation and sustaining the essential nursing workforce.
Raya Tashkizky (Sun,) studied this question.