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The rise of generative artificial intelligence has begun to transform how digital tools are created, shifting development from conventional programming toward natural language prompting, iterative refinement, and AI-assisted generation. Popularly described as "vibe coding," this informal practice refers to building applications, interfaces, automations, or prototypes by describing desired outcomes conversationally and revising outputs until they function as intended. Although the term is playful, it signals a significant shift in who can participate in digital creation and what forms of expertise now matter. This paper argues that "vibe coding" provides a useful contemporary lens for examining an important issue in nursing education: the transition from nurses as users of educational technologies to potential co-designers of digital learning tools. Nursing education has increasingly incorporated simulation, learning management systems, virtual cases, electronic documentation, and AI-enabled supports, yet nurses have often remained positioned as adopters rather than designers of these systems. AI-assisted creation may begin to alter that relationship by lowering barriers to prototyping and enabling educators and students to translate pedagogical ideas into functional tools more quickly. This shift holds promise for more contextually grounded, practice-informed, and responsive educational innovation. At the same time, it raises critical concerns regarding accuracy, bias, accessibility, privacy, pedagogical quality, and the illusion of expertise. As a Contemporary Issues conceptual commentary, the paper explores the educational possibilities and ethical tensions associated with AI-assisted creation in nursing education and argues that the issue should not be approached with either uncritical enthusiasm or outright rejection. Instead, nursing education may need to cultivate critically informed digital co-design capacity. This includes moving beyond basic digital literacy toward critical AI literacy, supporting educators in responsible experimentation, and ensuring that relational, reflective, and equity-oriented commitments remain central. Ultimately, nursing education must prepare future nurses not only to use digital systems, but also to question, evaluate, and, when appropriate, help shape them.
Soft skills are essential for safe and effective nursing practice, supporting communication, collaboration, and professional judgment in complex care settings. Despite their importance, new graduate nurses often struggle with core soft skills, highlighting a persistent gap between education and clinical demands. This scoping review maps current evidence on soft skills education and training for nursing students and nurses, focusing on core concepts, teaching approaches, and evaluation methods. This scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA Scoping Review guidelines. Five databases-MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO-were searched for studies published 2015-2025. Eligible studies used experimental designs to deliver soft skill-focused education or training to nursing students or nurses. Data extraction followed the TIDieR checklist, and soft skills were classified using an adapted version of Song et al.'s framework. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria; most involved nursing students and quasi-experimental designs. Effective Interaction and Professionalism were the most frequently addressed skill domains. Student-focused programs emphasized interpersonal and cognitive skills, whereas nurse programs concentrated on preparedness, work management, and teamwork. Traditional lectures predominated, while participatory and emerging approaches such as virtual reality, escape rooms, and game-based learning were less common. Nurse training was typically single-session, whereas student programs were more longitudinal. Most studies relied on self-report measures and included limited follow-up. A distinctive pattern emerged between students and nurses, suggesting that student-focused programs tend to emphasize foundational interpersonal skills while nurse-focused interventions are more likely to address clinically integrated competencies. This gap underscores the need to better align nursing curricula with real-world competency requirements. Educational programs on soft skills should incorporate active, learner-centered teaching strategies, rigorous evaluation methods with long-term follow-up, and validated assessment tools to better prepare nurses for contemporary healthcare demands.
Generative artificial intelligence [GenAI] is increasingly treated as a primary explanation for students' perceived difficulties with sustained attention in nursing education. The author contends that such a framing risks misdiagnosing a longerstanding educational concern. While GenAI raises legitimate issues related to misinformation, overreliance, academic integrity, privacy, and critical thinking, students' attentional difficulties should also be understood within the broader history of the attention economy, short-form media, and digitally saturated learning environments. Drawing on literature on sustained attention, cognitive effort, attention regulation, digital distraction, short-form media, and GenAI in healthcare education, the author highlights a chronological mismatch between the recent emergence of widely accessible GenAI tools and earlier shifts in digital environments that reward novelty, rapid attentional switching, and low-friction engagement. Rather than reducing the issue to shortened attention span, the author examines how digitally saturated learning environments reshape sustained attention, attention regulation, and tolerance for cognitive effort in nursing education. This reframing matters because nursing education depends on students' capacity to sustain attention during clinical reasoning, patient assessment, communication, documentation, simulation-based learning, and safe decision-making. GenAI may amplify or make visible pre-existing challenges, but restriction alone is unlikely to address the broader attentional conditions shaping students' learning. Thus, the author calls for attention-supportive pedagogy that scaffolds cognitive effort, makes reasoning visible, supports digital and AI literacy, and deliberately cultivates sustained attention, critical evaluation, and clinical judgment in nursing education. Drawing on literature on sustained attention, cognitive effort, attention regulation, digital distraction, short-form media, and GenAI in healthcare education, the author highlights a chronological mismatch between the recent emergence of widely accessible GenAI tools and earlier shifts in digital environments that reward novelty, rapid attentional switching, and lowfriction engagement. Rather than treating declining attention span as a fixed cognitive trait or uniform population-level decline, the paper focuses on difficulties with sustained attention and attention regulation in contemporary nursing education. This reframing matters because nursing education depends on students' capacity to sustain attention during clinical reasoning, patient assessment, communication, documentation, simulation-based learning, and safe decision-making. GenAI may amplify or make visible pre-existing challenges, but restriction alone is unlikely to address the broader attentional conditions shaping students' learning. The paper therefore calls for attention-supportive pedagogy that scaffolds cognitive effort, makes reasoning visible, supports digital and AI literacy, and deliberately cultivates sustained attention, critical evaluation, and clinical judgment in nursing education.
Learning how to recognise and respond to disclosures of family violence is a core component of nurse education, yet this learning often occurs in classrooms and clinical environments where some students and educators may themselves be survivors. Across nursing programs, pedagogical approaches often emphasise recognising and responding to patients affected by family violence yet give limited attention to the vulnerabilities of students and academic faculty or the potential for re-traumatisation when the topic arises in educational settings. Using a trauma-informed lens, we examine the ethical dimensions of disclosure within classroom and clinical learning environments, focusing on how power, professional expectations, and institutional cultures shape what can be safely disclosed. We argue that unsolicited invitations to "share our stories", as well as blanket appeals to "professional boundaries", both risk harming those already living with family violence and obscuring the educator's duty of care. We propose principles for safer pedagogical practice, including explicit attention to role boundaries, advanced framing of sensitive content, meaningful opt-out options, and clear pathways for support when disclosures occur. While grounded in nursing, the issues explored are relevant across health professional education internationally, where family violence is taught within trauma-exposed student and academic faculty populations.
Professional identity formation is a central goal of nursing education, yet less is known about how students connect historical trauma-based learning with ethical nursing practice. Holocaust and genocide education may support moral reflection, empathy, advocacy, and professional responsibility when delivered through trauma-informed pedagogical safeguards. To explore how registered nurses enrolled in a Master of Science in Nursing-Nurse Practitioner program interpreted Holocaust and genocide education and connected this learning to professional identity work and anticipated practice. Qualitative study using reflexive thematic analysis. Fourteen de-identified reflective essays written after a structured educational unit on the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide were analyzed. Analysis was primarily inductive and informed by sensitizing concepts from nursing ethics, trauma-informed education, and professional identity formation. Six themes were identified: historical awareness as a moral compass; empathy and cultural humility; recognition of dehumanization and structural violence; resilience and advocacy; leadership and professional responsibility; and reflective self-awareness. Students described historical trauma-based learning as a catalyst for ethical sense-making, emotional processing, and value clarification. They connected this learning to intended professional commitments, including safeguarding dignity, challenging discrimination, attending to trauma histories, and advocating for vulnerable patients. Historical trauma-based education may provide a meaningful reflective space for professional identity work in graduate nursing education. The findings suggest that, when supported by trauma-informed pedagogy and reflective writing, difficult historical content can help students articulate ethical commitments and anticipated nursing responsibilities. Future studies should examine whether these immediate reflective commitments are sustained over time and translated into practice.
The transition to competency is challenging for novice nurses, often leading to stress and turnover. Nurse residency programs enhance clinical skills and improve retention. Competency-Based Education (CBE) advances nurses' development through patient-centered care, critical thinking, and accountability. CBE's competency-driven objectives facilitate effective mentorship. Multidimensional training fosters collaboration and inclusivity, strengthening learning and professional relationships. This study aimed to develop a multidimensional competency-based approach, highlighting how individualized repeated practice, targeted feedback, and dynamic preceptor-learner interactions enhance skill development and competency acquisition. It evaluated the clinical competence, professional confidence, and passion for nursing of novice nursing practitioners. Mixed methods approach. A qualitative descriptive approach with monthly facilitated group discussions explored novice nurses' perceptions of patient care needs and barriers. Findings informed the design of a tailored, multidimensional six-month training program. The program featured interactive sessions with faculty guidance and incorporated classroom instruction, simulated teaching, hands-on practice, and reflective exercises. Professional competence, confidence, passion for nursing, and perceived healthcare team support were assessed quantitatively before and after the intervention. A total of one hundred and eighty-three participants were recruited. Quantitative results demonstrated significant improvements in professional competence, confidence, passion for nursing, and perceived healthcare team support (p < 0.05). Qualitative findings indicated that simulation-based learning and structured team support enhanced nurses' confidence, clinical care capability, and engagement. Participants reported high satisfaction with clinical skills simulators and perceived healthcare team support as essential. All participants who completed the program-maintained employment at the one-year follow-up assessment, yielding a 100% retention rate. The multidimensional competency-based education program significantly improved novice nurses' clinical competency, professional confidence, and passion. Tailored multidimensional training is essential to prepare novice nurses to tackle clinical challenges and build resilience.
Genomics is increasingly recognized as essential for precision health, yet its integration into undergraduate nursing and other health sciences curricula remains limited. Persistent gaps in genomics literacy and confidence among students and professionals indicate that current educational approaches may not adequately prepare graduates for genomics-informed care and precision health. The aim of this review is to map educational approaches and methods used to enhance genomic competencies among undergraduate health sciences students and discuss implications for nursing education. Scoping review, reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR recommendations. Systematic search in CINAHL Ultimate, ERIC, and MEDLINE for studies published in English between January 2015 and December 2024 was undertaken. Data were charted using a standardized extraction form and synthesized descriptively and narratively, grouping interventions by educational approach, methods, strategies, techniques, and tools. Thirty-one studies were included, mostly from the United States, involving primarily medical and nursing students. Educational approaches centered on experiential and practice-based learning, simulation, case- and problem-based learning, flipped classrooms, collaborative or interprofessional learning, narrative and arts-based methods, and technology-enhanced strategies such as virtual labs, online modules, and digital storytelling. These approaches were associated with improvements in genomic knowledge, application to clinical scenarios, ethical awareness, engagement, and self-reported confidence, although outcomes were predominantly short-term. Genomics education for health sciences students is characterized by diverse, largely experiential and student-centered approaches. Integration into curricula remains fragmented and often focused on genetics rather than broader genomics and precision health. Nurse educators should prioritize integrated, authentic, and ethically informed genomics education, supported by educator development and digital technologies, including generative AI, to prepare graduates for precision nursing care.
Nurse executives face expanding responsibilities that include financial management, strategic planning, and system-level decision-making, yet many lack formal preparation in business competencies. This article examines the gap between expectations for executive roles and traditional academic preparation. It also explores the potential of the dual Doctor of Nursing Practice/Master of Business Administration pathway to strengthen leadership readiness. National stakeholder data demonstrate strong support among chief executive officers, chief nursing officers, and graduate nursing faculty for integrating business education into advanced nursing programs. Although the American Organization for Nursing Leadership identifies business skills as a core competency, variability persists in their integration across curricula. The Doctor of Nursing Practice/Master of Business Administration provides an integrated approach combining clinical expertise with financial and strategic business knowledge. As healthcare systems increasingly emphasize financial performance and value, organizations and academic programs must align leadership preparation with evolving executive expectations.
Nursing faculty members reported feeling unprepared and lacking confidence in addressing teaching challenges. Recommendations include incorporating experiential learning strategies to better prepare faculty members for teaching. To determine if the Critical Incident Video (CIV) intervention improved faculty preparation and confidence in addressing teaching challenges. Using a quasi-experimental pre-posttest design, a convenience sample of faculty from prelicensure RN programs (N = 257) completed the pre-intervention tool measuring participants' preparation and confidence to address common teaching challenges. Participants were randomly placed into either the control (n = 109) or experimental (n = 148) group. The experimental group completed a structured CIV simulation intervention and the post-intervention and simulation experience instruments. The control group retook the pre-intervention instrument at 6 months. The results were statistically significant (P < .001) for aggregated scores for overall confidence and preparedness across 12 teaching challenges and 4 teaching environments. This study provides compelling evidence that the CIV intervention was a successful catalyst to prepare nurse educators to address teaching challenges.
Although artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming nursing continuing education, excessive reliance on AI-based learning may undermine essential skills such as critical thinking, clinical intuition, and the relational and ethical aspects that are fundamental to nursing practice. From virtual patient simulations to adaptive learning platforms, AI tools are increasingly integrated into continuing education for nurses. These technologies provide unparalleled opportunities for efficiency, accessibility, and personalized learning; however, their widespread use raises important questions about maintaining core nursing skills. This article explores the balancing act of leveraging AI's educational benefits while protecting nursing's human, relational, and ethical principles in continuing education settings. Risks include automation bias, diminished independent clinical reasoning, and the erosion of moral presence and therapeutic relationship skills. Intentional integration through blended learning models, ethical AI literacy, and mandatory oversight protocols for competencies is proposed as a path forward. The future of nursing continuing education depends on a deliberate balance between AI and humanity, a commitment that is both an ethical responsibility and a professional necessity.
Co-teaching refers to instruction jointly planned and implemented by two or more teachers to achieve shared learning goals. It supports multidisciplinary learning and the development of students' collaboration skills. Although co-teaching is used in nursing education, research has mainly focused on educational sciences and knowledge regarding implementation strategies and experiences of co-teaching in nursing education remains limited. The aim of this integrative literature review is to analyse and synthesise existing research on co-teaching in nursing education, with a focus on its definitions, implementation strategies, and reported experiences. The purpose was to clarify the conceptual foundations of co-teaching to support pedagogical development in nursing education. An integrative literature review. A literature search was conducted in March 2025 using the PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and ERIC databases. Study selection and reporting followed PRISMA guidelines. Methodological quality was appraised using JBI criteria. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Fourteen studies published between 1999 and March 2025 were included. The study designs were mainly descriptive and exploratory. The analysis generated nine themes related to the definition and implementation of co-teaching, interdisciplinary collaboration, shared expertise, student learning, professional development, prerequisites for successful collaboration, and barriers to implementation. Clear shared goals, mutual respect, and effective communication were identified as prerequisites for successful implementation, while lack of time and challenges in aligning teaching practices were perceived as barriers. Overall, both teachers' and students' experiences were predominantly positive. Co-teaching appears to be a promising pedagogical approach, with potential to address future nurses' competence needs related to complex care environments, interprofessional collaboration, and clinical reasoning. Successful implementation requires sufficient resources and organisational-level leadership that supports collaboration. Further research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness and outcomes.
Empathy is fundamental to nursing practice, yet sustaining empathic engagement remains a pedagogical challenge in demanding clinical environments. This study introduces a novel game-based intervention designed to facilitate emotional expression and reflection through guided interaction. This study evaluated an empathy-focused board game, specifically developed by the authors, as a pedagogical strategy. We explored participants' meaning-making during scenario-based play and examined the perceived value of this approach in supporting clinical practice. Finally, we considered the implications for nursing education and professional development. A qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted. Purposeful sampling recruited 82 registered nurses from five hospitals in northern and central Taiwan (aged 21-41 years). Learning sessions included free writing, role play, and guided discussion. Audio-recorded dialogue and written reflections were analyzed iteratively to identify patterns of meaning. Findings were organized into the Empathy Competence Cycle in Nursing, comprising depletion and revitalization phases. The depletion phase included three interrelated themes: (1) compassion fatigue exhausting empathy; (2) perceived medical hierarchy shaping empathic expression; and (3) emotional burden arising from societal and professional role expectations. The revitalization phase comprised three processes: facilitating emotional expression, promoting reflection, and fostering empathic re-engagement. Empathy was experienced as a fluctuating, context-dependent relational capacity. The board game provided a novel, non-evaluative "third space" for emotional articulation and peer reflection, which participants linked to sustaining empathic engagement in challenging clinical contexts. Integrating structured reflective game-based learning into nursing education and professional development could support nurses' ongoing empathic practice and well-being.
Immersive virtual reality (IVR) simulation is increasingly used in nursing education to support experiential learning and the development of non-technical skills. Debriefing is integral to simulation-based education; however, shortages of qualified facilitators and variability in delivery can constrain scalability and quality. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) may offer a standardised and scalable approach to post-simulation debriefing, yet comparative evidence in nursing education remains limited. To compare the effectiveness of GenAI-assisted versus facilitator-led debriefing on nursing students' knowledge acquisition and self-reported non-technical skills following an IVR nursing simulation. Quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-posttest study. A higher education institution in Hong Kong. Undergraduate nursing students with less than four weeks of clinical internship experience. Participants were allocated by subject enrolment to either GenAI-assisted debriefing plus a 10-minute facilitator summary (experimental group) or facilitator-led debriefing (control group) after an IVR hospital simulation. Knowledge was measured using a multiple-choice questionnaire at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1), while self-reported non-technical skills were assessed at T1. A total of 178 students participated (experimental n = 102; control n = 76). Baseline knowledge scores were comparable (experimental: M = 10.98, SD = 2.27; control: M = 11.03, SD = 2.56; p = .899). Knowledge increased significantly from T0 to T1 in both groups (experimental: M = 12.71, SD = 2.71, d = 0.79; control: M = 12.68, SD = 2.44, d = 0.72; both p < .001). After adjustment for baseline knowledge, there was no significant between-group difference in post-intervention knowledge (F = 0.03, p = .871). Non-technical skill domain scores did not differ significantly between groups (all p = .272-0.876). GenAI-assisted debriefing produced outcomes comparable to facilitator-led debriefing for knowledge and self-reported non-technical skills. These findings warrant further investigation of GenAI-assisted debriefing as a complement to existing approaches.
Feasibility studies play a critical role in determining whether clinical or educational interventions can be implemented as intended before progressing to large-scale trials. In nursing education, many innovative teaching strategies, particularly complex interventions such as simulation-based learning, are often advanced directly to full trials without first establishing feasibility. This premature progression creates recruitment, acceptability, fidelity, and protocol adherence challenges, which may compromise study quality and valuable resources. This paper addresses this gap by clarifying the purpose and value of feasibility studies in nursing education research and outlining key considerations for designing an early-stage feasibility study that aligns with contemporary evidence and best-practice methodological guidance. A practical, step-by-step methodology is presented for designing rigorous early- stage feasibility studies in nursing education, based on a worked example, structured around the four phases of the Medical Research Council Framework for complex interventions: (1) Development, (2) Feasibility and Piloting, (3) Evaluation, and (4) Implementation Planning. As a methodological paper, we focus on insights rather than empirical outcomes. Examples from the working feasibility trial demonstrate how feasibility data informs judgments about readiness for a larger study. Funding bodies increasingly value feasibility evidence when assessing readiness for large-scale trials. This methodological paper highlights key considerations for evaluating feasibility and demonstrates how preliminary feasibility data guides decisions about if a study is ready to progress to a larger-scale trial. The examples provided illustrate how feasibility indicators, rather than effect size estimates or hypothesis-driven analyses, support transparent and appropriate decision-making in early-phase research.
The evolving demands of health education necessitate the integration of innovative approaches that enhance students' knowledge retention, support learning motivation, and improve pedagogical effectiveness. Spaced learning, defined as an instructional approach in which learning content is distributed across repeated sessions separated by predetermined time intervals, has received increasing attention because of its potential to enhance knowledge acquisition, promote long-term memory consolidation, and reduce learning-related anxiety. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of the spaced learning method on knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, and learning-related anxiety among students in health professions education. A systematic search of the Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCOhost/CINAHL Complete, and MEDLINE databases was conducted up to May 2025 without publication year restrictions. The literature screening and data extraction processes were carried out independently by two researchers. A total of nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias (RoB 2.0) tool. The study was reported in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, and the meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Version 3 software. Nine RCTs met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The spaced learning intervention demonstrated statistically significant and positive effects on knowledge acquisition (Hedges' g = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51-0.88), knowledge retention (Hedges' g = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.43-0.82), and learning-related anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.44-1.36) (p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses identified statistically significant beneficial effects within the examined professional groups and intervention-duration categories; however, formal between-subgroup comparisons were not performed. Spaced learning appears to be a promising educational strategy that positively influences knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, and learning-related anxiety among students in health professions education. However, given that the included studies were assessed as having a high overall risk of bias, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality, methodologically robust studies are needed to confirm the strength and consistency of these effects.
Public health nurses (PHNs) play a key role in health promotion, infectious disease control, policy development, and emergency response. In China, specialized PHN training has not yet been established, highlighting the need for a competency evaluation system. To construct a competency evaluation index system for PHNs to guide future training and assessment in China. A two-round Delphi study based on the Iceberg Competency Model. A panel of 27 experts (associate senior level or above) in community nursing practice, management, education, or public health was recruited from seven cities across China. A preliminary indicator system was developed through literature review and semi-structured interviews with 17 community nurses and 15 public health physicians. Two Delphi rounds were then conducted with the 27 experts, who rated indicator importance and provided revision suggestions. Indicators were retained if importance mean > 3.5 and coefficient of variation <0.25. Both rounds achieved a 100% effective response rate, with an expert authority coefficient of 0.90. Kendall's W coefficients were 0.518 for the first round and 0.628 for the second (both P < 0.001). The final system comprised 4 first-level, 19 second-level, and 80 third-level indicators. The PHN competency evaluation index system is structured around four overarching domains, namely professional knowledge, professional skills, professional competence, and professional qualities. It demonstrates methodological rigor, thereby offering a standardized and actionable framework for competency assessment, personnel training, and workforce development in China, and ultimately contributing to enhanced public health service quality.
There is a growing acceptance of using artificial intelligence in health care, education, and clinical practice. Artificial intelligence will be used in learning personalization, clinical case design, simulations, academic writing, and feedback to the learner. However, there is a gap in the readiness of students, instructors, curriculum, and standards for safe patient care because of the rapid development of such technology. Artificial intelligence should be viewed as more than simply a threat to digital literacy and academic integrity as highlighted in this Contemporary Issues article. In practice, nurses have to understand how to safely use artificial intelligence, since artificial intelligence should be considered to be an essential component of nursing education, ethics, and practice. Its unique contribution is a three-level accountability system that connects epistemic accountability (verification and clinical reasoning), relational accountability (compassionate, person-centered care), and professional responsibility (ethics, governance, and transparency). This article within this paradigm identifies four nursing curriculum priorities: artificial intelligence literacy, assessment redesign, ethical governance, and faculty development, all of which have consequences for educators, institutional leaders, and legislators.
The transition from student to practicing nurse represents a critical and often challenging period for newly graduated nurses (NGNs). Enhancing their work readiness is essential for a successful transition. However, no consensus exists regarding the evaluation and cultivation of NGNs' work readiness. Existing research predominantly focuses on NGNs' self-assessments of work readiness and personal transitional experiences, while studies exploring preceptors' perspectives and recommendations remain scarce. To explore preceptors' perspectives on new graduate nurses' work readiness, as well as their recommendations for improving transition programs and new graduates' self-improvement. A descriptive qualitative study. Fourteen preceptors from nine tertiary first-class hospitals in China. Data were collected through online semi-structured interviews. Data analysis followed Graneheim and Lundman's content analysis method. Three themes and 10 categories were identified: (1) novice phase with potential (disconnection between theory and practice, positive attitude versus limited team integration, high digital literacy versus low evidence-based practice capability, and learning potential versus barriers to knowledge internalization); (2) prepared workplace environment (comprehensive competency development supported by new technologies, tacit knowledge transmission, systematic support for preceptors, and creation of supportive learning environments); and (3) self-development strategies during transition (proactive coping with timely help-seeking and targeted reflection). While recognizing the shortcomings of NGNs as novices, preceptors also acknowledge the potential they possess. The study highlights the necessity of providing NGNs with a well-prepared work environment, where supportive environments hold equal importance to comprehensive skill development. For NGNs, preceptors emphasize recommendations for enhancing capability-building methods: proactive coping, timely help-seeking, and targeted reflection. This also indicates that the training strategy for NGNs should reflect a dual shift, transitioning the cultivation model from "knowledge transmission" to "facilitating competency development," while transforming the preceptor's role from "knowledge authority" to "competency development facilitator."
The first year of university represents a critical transition period for undergraduate nursing students as they adapt to the academic, social, and professional expectations of higher education. Difficulties navigating these demands can undermine engagement, confidence, and sense of belonging, contributing to early withdrawal from nursing programs. Targeted support strategies that address the multidimensional nature of transition are therefore essential. To identify and synthesise current evidence on strategies that support first-year undergraduate nursing students in their transition to higher education. Integrative review. Four databases, CINAHL, SCOPUS, PubMed and Web of Science, were searched in April 2025 and included studies from 2015 to 2025. The review followed PRISMA guidelines. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Narrative synthesis informed by thematic analysis was undertaken to integrate findings from the included studies. A total of 175 studies were identified, with 25 studies included in the final review. Analysis revealed five overarching themes reflecting when and how transition support is most effectively provided: 'Pre-Commencement Interventions' and 'First Clinical Placement' as key transition points, and 'Faculty-Led Interventions', 'Peer Mentoring and Tutoring', and 'Self-Regulation and Coping Strategies' as primary modes of support. Together, these strategies addressed academic preparedness, social integration, professional identity development, and emotional wellbeing during the transition to university. Effective support for first-year nursing students requires coordinated, multifaceted strategies that respond to the complex and evolving nature of transition to higher education. Peer mentoring and tutoring emerged as particularly effective and sustainable approaches for enhancing engagement and confidence. Future research should examine the cost-effectiveness of transition support strategies and incorporate the perspectives of students from equity groups to inform inclusive, evidence-based approaches that promote successful transition and retention.