f preceptors in a clinical setting (Clayton, Broome & Ellis, 1989; Hayes. 1994; Itano et al., 1987; Scheetz, 1989; Stutsky & Laschinger, 1995), improvements in clinical practicums (Coudret, Fuchs, Roberts, Suhrheinreich & White, 1994; Rowe, 1995), improved instruction in clinical settings (Campbell, Larrivee, Field, Day & Reutter, 1994; Dunn, Stockhausen, Thornton & Barnard, 1995; Gross, 1994; Orchard, 1994; Wilson, 1994; Windsor, 1987), and the effects of working as a nurse's aide during school years (Talotta, 1990). Studies of workplace interventions have addressed mentoring (Hamilton, Murray, Lindholm & Myers, 1989) and preceptorships (Bailey, Hoeppner, Jeska, Schneller & Wolohan, 1995; Esson, 1986). The workplace studies generally found that mentors and preceptors positively influenced students' entry into the workplace. But these studies did not address their effect on retention in the particular job or in the profession.
Despite the number of investigations into preparation for transitions, there are few longitudinal studies that follow the
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