Nursing Education in Catalonia: Novice Professionals’ Appraisal of Its Quality and Usefulness. Does Mobility Play a Role?

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between the quality of undergraduate education perceived by novice nurses and their retrospective satisfaction with their education. It also studied the relationships between the perceived usefulness of their education for their current jobs and the quality of the jobs held by novice nursing professionals. The moderator role of mobility in this relationship was also analyzed, as it reflects a boundary condition in which additional preparation or job opportunities may occur. The study used data from the graduates’ survey carried out by the Agència per a la Qualitat del Sistema Universitari de Catalunya (AQU) in 2017. The analysis of data from 644 graduates of Catalan Universities in 2014 highlights different functions of two types of knowledge and skills; those directly related to science and the practice of nursing are stronger predictors of retrospective satisfaction with nursing education. In turn, the perception of the usefulness of horizontal skills, such as transversal and communication skills, plays a stronger role in predicting job quality. The results about the role of mobility were not conclusive, and more research is needed to clarify its influence on nursing education and subsequent professional practice.