Employer evaluation of graduates is a critical component of professional program evaluation and contributes a viewpoint rarely reported in the literature. It has been proposed that Problem-Based Learning (PBL) enhances knowledge acquisition, clinical competency and professional behavior. Students assume the role of a registered nurse as they work through real practice scenarios on a daily basis in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to explore employer perceptions of graduates' knowledge, competency and professionalism, following completion of a PBL program. Nurse employers (N=53) participated in 10 focus group discussions. Four main themes were derived from employer descriptions of their experience with PBL graduates: still rough around the edges, we want them to succeed, a new generation of practitioner, and potential to lead the profession into the future. Please add what the implications of these findings are to nursing education.
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