Nursing students' experiences of a post-licensure practical nurse bridging program: a qualitative systematic review protocol

Objective: This systematic review will synthesize the qualitative literature on students' experiences of a post-licensure practical nurse to registered nurse bridging program. Introduction: The worldwide shortage of registered nurses has prompted governments and educational institutions to develop alternative pathways to nursing licensure. One strategy used to increase the supply of registered nurses is bridging programs. These grant practical nurses academic credit for previous educational and practical experience, which allows them to complete a Bachelor of Nursing degree in a shorter period of time. However, attrition in bridging programs is a concern. Understanding the experiences of students enrolled in bridging programs will help identify their specific needs and the educational support needed for them to successfully transition into the registered nursing role. Inclusion criteria: This review will include published and unpublished studies that examine the experiences of practical nurses enrolled in bridging programs. Studies published in English will be considered, with no date limitations. Methods: Databases to be searched include CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, and ERIC. Gray literature will be searched for in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and GreyNet International. Reference lists of included studies will also be reviewed to identify additional studies. The critical appraisal of selected studies and the extraction of data will be independently undertaken by two reviewers using JBI methodology. The findings will be pooled using meta-aggregation to produce comprehensive synthesized findings. A ConQual Summary of Findings will also be presented. Systematic review registration number: PROSPERO CRD42021278408