Supporting Transition and Practice Readiness Through Nursing Clinical Externships: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND: Globally, new graduate nurses face persistent transition challenges and high turnover rates that threaten workforce stability and patient care quality-issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical nurse externship (CNE) programs have emerged as structured experiential learning models that bridge the academic-practice gap through mentorship and clinical immersion. METHOD: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Evidence Synthesis and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Reviews framework, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, MEDLINE (via Ovid), and EBSCO's Nursing & Allied Health Reference Source. Eligible studies involved undergraduate nursing students participating in CNE programs. Two reviewers independently screened, extracted, and thematically analyzed the data. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria, revealing five themes: clinical competence, emotional impact, relationships and support, nursing values, and professional preparedness. CNE participation consistently enhanced competence, confidence, and professional identity while reducing anxiety and transition stress. CONCLUSION: CNE programs effectively strengthen work-force readiness, retention, and the transition from education to practice, underscoring their value as a strategic element in global nursing education and workforce planning.