Overview and update: Quality indicators for preregistration nursing students’ professional experience placement

ABSTRACTBackground During mandatory clinical placements, nursing students learn to apply theoretical knowledge to nursing practice to meet the conditions for nurse registration. Reporting of placement quality indicators informs ways to enhance the student experience. Aim This study aims to provide an overview and update on quality indicators for nursing students' education experience during placement. Methods ‘Student satisfaction' and ‘Quality of placement experience' are quality indicators. A descriptive narrative approach explores related primary research between 2015 and 2025. Results Twenty-nine cohort and cross-sectional surveys of nursing students were included. Most (N=19) used the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) scale. Across different settings, student satisfaction was mostly positive, with a mean of 4.0 out of a possible five points; lower means were seen in eight studies. Individual studies reporting quality ratings of placement experience returned a mean of 79%, despite lower mean scores in 14 studies. A national standard is identified from two Australian studies. Over 37,000 placements evaluated by Australian nursing students in 2023 and 2024 record a mean satisfaction with clinical placement of 8.3 out of a possible 10 points (4.15 out of 5 points), and a mean quality of the overall placement experience of 87%. Discussion Studies report moderate to high satisfaction and moderate quality evaluations. Less positive satisfaction and quality ratings (lower than the average), when reported, are concerning. Conclusion Students' satisfaction ratings and placement experience are confirmed as a key concept to inform the quality of students' learning, assisting efforts by educators and institutions to improve the nursing students' experiences even further.