Caring in Practice: How Final-Year Nursing Students Prepare for Professional Nursing Roles

Background: Caring attributes are essential for nurses to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Developing these attributes during clinical practice is crucial for nursing students’ transition into professional roles. This study examines caring attributes of final-year undergraduate nursing students during their clinical placements. Objectives: This study examined caring attributes of final-year undergraduate nursing students during their clinical practicum. Methods: A cross-sectional design employing convenience sampling was used among nursing students during their clinical placements. The study was guided by Roach’s 6C’s of caring framework to investigate attribute development using the short-form 24-item Caring Behaviors Inventory. Results: A total of 102 baccalaureate nursing students (ages 22–26 years; mean = 22.49, SD = 0.78) participated. Overall, students demonstrated moderate caring attributes across four subscales. Those with prior healthcare training scored higher than their counterparts in the 5-year programme. Notably, respectful interactions and connectedness were scored relatively lower, indicating persistent gaps in skills. Conclusions: The findings underscore the development of caring attributes, especially communication and relational skills, progresses during clinical education. The moderate scores highlight the need for targeted interventions during training, such as video-assisted reflection, simulation-based practice, and mentorship programmes, to enhance relational competencies. Emphasizing early-year skill development in respectfulness and connectedness is critical for fostering their personal and professional growth. Nurse educators should adopt innovative, technology-supported teaching strategies and structured reflection opportunities to better prepare students for compassionate, patient-centered care in their transition to practice.