Development of nursing students' professional identity in different mentoring approaches during clinical training: A quasi-experimental study

Background: The professional identity (PI) of nursing students' is essential for high quality performance and safe healthcare. Clinical training plays a key role in the development of professional identity during nursing studies. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of individual and group mentoring approaches on the development of PI during clinical training, as well as the influence of the order in which these approaches are applied, and the effect of time on the development of PI. Design: This study used a quasi-experimental design. Settings: The study was conducted at the Department of Health Studies in Croatia. Participants: The 119 first, second, and third year ungraduate nursing students. Methods: Students were divided into two groups. Each group performed clinical training in group and individual mentoring approaches, but in different order. The Professional Identity Five Factor Scale (PIFFS) was used to measure PI levels at four different time points: immediately before and after the first and second rounds of clinical exercises. Results: Both groups of students, achieved approximately average results in all three dimensions of the PI. There was no statistically significant main effect of the group/individual mentoring approach on the dimensions of knowledge (P = 0.471), experience (P = 0.865) or perception of role model and professional future (P = 0.565). The levels of the dimensions knowledge (P = 0.001), experience (P = 0.001) or perception of the role model and professional future (P = 0.002) differed in four measurement points, which indicates a general increase in all three PI dimensions. Conclusions: During the performance of the clinical training, the level of PI increased. The group mentoring approach has an immediate effect on increasing knowledge, but this effect diminishes over time. In terms of experience, both mentoring approaches have similar reinforcing effects. However, the individual approach seems to be more suitable for improving the perception of role models and the professional future.