Professional development utilizing an oncology summer nursing internship

• Educators and healthcare systems must find ways to introduce nursing students to the professionalism and rigors of nursing practice.
• Pre-licensure internships can enhance acculturation and role development in nursing students and lead to increased retention and satisfaction long-term.
• Future research should explore the effect of internships on skill, knowledge, assessment, and clinical reasoning in nursing practice.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an oncology student nursing internship on role socialization and professional self-concept. This mixed-methods study utilized a convergent parallel approach that incorporated a quasi-experimental and qualitative design. Data was collected through pre and post-survey and open-ended questions. Participants were 11 baccalaureate nursing students participating in a summer oncology student nursing internship between their junior and senior years. Investigators completed a content analysis of qualitative questionnaires resulted in categories of meaning, while the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used to compare pre and post internship scores. Aggregated mean scores from all instruments showed an increase in professionalism, role socialization, and sense of belonging from pre to post-internship, although no differences were significant. Qualitative data showed participants refined their personal philosophy of nursing and solidified their commitment to the profession. Participants did indicate, however, that the internship, combined with weekly debriefing forums and conferences, proved to have a positive impact on the students' role socialization and sense of belonging. Despite quantitative results, there is a need for longitudinal research to confirm the effect of nursing student internships on the transition from student to professional.