The effect of a 3-year pre-registration training course on students' self-esteem

Self-esteem is an acquired set of beliefs about the 'self' and is the largest determinant of behaviour. This study was carried out to identify changes in the self-esteem of students in order to assess the major influencing factors during their transition to becoming a nurse and to explore the interpretations and constructions which students ascribed to their experiences during this transition. Data were collected by the use of unstructured interviews. Analysis of data was qualitative, using a grounded theory method. Students' self-esteem became fragmented during the transition to becoming a nurse. The findings indicate a need to implement strategies to increase nurses' self-esteem.