| Graduate nursing programs are responsible for the socialization of students to assume new roles. The current published literature does not provide an understanding of the factors that positively influence well socialized clinical nurse specialist (CNS) graduates. Characteristics unique to the CNS role, variation in practice execution, and historical role ambiguity may impede the socialization process of CNS students during their academic program. Inadequate CNS professional socialization is a threat to effective role performance, job satisfaction, and CNS professional stewardship or advocacy. Currently there is a dearth of knowledge about the process of socializing CNS students.;This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed to comprehensively explore the multidimensional nature of CNS professional socialization in a national sample. The dimensions of CNS professional socialization that were studied include professional self-image, nursing values, nursing specialty certification, membership in CNS professional organizations, and perceived preparation for practice in the CNS role. Relationships between the level of CNS professional socialization and a priori selected student pre-program input variables and educational environment variables were examined.;CNS students nearing graduation or new graduates prior to employment as a CNS (N = 161, representing 63 CNS programs) were recruited from graduate nursing programs located in the United States using a variety of direct and indirect methods. A secure online survey was distributed to potential participants. The survey consisted of researcher-constructed items and two established instruments, the "Nurse Self-Description Form" and the "Nurses Professional Values Scale - Revised." Descriptive and inferential analyses of the data were conducted.;The findings indicated that an adequate level of CNS professional socialization was attained by students and that both pre-socialization factors and educational environment variables do influence socialization outcomes. Students reported feeling prepared to practice in a CNS role, which was highly correlated with their perceptions of how well the CNS program prepared them both academically and experientially (r = 0.583). CNS students held a strong self-concept, but somewhat lower than nursing students and practicing nurses as described in other studies. The importance of professional nursing values was no higher in CNS students than in other groups of nurses or students reported in previous studies. Mentorship by a CNS was associated with a greater sense of readiness to practice (OR = 1.81); 54.4% of the students had a CNS mentor. Forty-six percent of the students had worked in Magnet ®-oriented hospitals prior to enrolling in the CNS program, 51.6% held specialty nursing certification, and 55.9% belonged to a CNS professional organization. Cohort status was not related to the socialization outcomes. Finally, online instruction did not impede CNS socialization. These findings provide a baseline for educators, administrators, and CNSs in practice to understand the current state of professional socialization of students in CNS programs. |
