Bahar KULEYIN, Seher BASARAN-ACIL
Mediterranean Nursing and Midwifery - 2026;6(2):163-170
Objective: This research aimed to determine the relationship between senior nursing students' readiness for practice (RFP) and locus of control (LOC). Readiness for practice is essential for nursing students to remain in the profession and provide safe care. Locus of control is an important factor that may influence RFP. Integrating LOC into the educational process can help students take responsibility and enhance their RFP. Methods: A descriptive correlational study involving 301 senior nursing students from universities across Türkiye was conducted between June 2 - 21, 2021. The data collection form included 3 attributes: sociodemographic data, RFP, and LOC. Results: The senior nursing students' RFP scores were 2.93 +/- 0.56 (min: 1, max: 4), LOC scores were 121.00 +/- 33.95 (min: 47, max: 235), and the relationship between RFP and LOC was determined as r = 0.240, P < .05. Conclusion: Senior nursing students were moderately ready for practice and prone to an internal LOC. A positive, weakly significant relationship was found between RFP and LOC. These results are crucial in structuring nursing curricula to improve students' RFP and LOC, encouraging instructors to review their practice. Nurse managers can use structural empowerment practices to assess and enhance new nurses' LOC and RFP. Moreover, the integration of LOC into teaching strategies provides valuable insights for curriculum development aimed at enhancing students' responsibility-taking and autonomous decision-making skills. Nursing graduates who possess control over their own decisions can be considered more prepared for practice in clinical settings and more capable of effectively adapting to their professional roles, and more autonomous professionals, which may be regarded as important clinical outcomes.
