Abstract
The aim of this project is to analyze the level of satisfaction with educational relevance for nursing practice. It is also to examine factors related to such satisfaction after one year as an employee. The study is a part of an ongoing prospective cohort study with the title «Working careers and working values among Registered Nurses». Data were collected from a questionnaire directed at the total population of RNs who graduated in the year 2000 from the western Norwegian counties, a total of 590 nurses. The response rate was 68 %. The results show that half of the RNs were satisfied with their nursing education related to their tasks as practising nurses. The highest degree of satisfaction was found among those who studied at the smallest units of nursing education (measured by the number of students). Independent of the university college and the size of the class, it was those who originally wanted to study nursing who were most satisfied with the educational relevance for the profession. This indicates two important challenges for the university colleges: Their ability to recruit students who are motivated for nursing studies and their ability to organize the nursing education in small units.
