Background: Theoretical and practical preparation is essential for developing competent nurses. The clinical setting is the most effective context for learning nursing skills. It gives opportunities for newly qualified nurses to practice clinical decision-making by applying theoretical knowledge. Integrating theory and clinical practice with good supervision improves newly qualified nurses' competencies to care for patients and enhance their self-confidence.
Objective: To identify the gaps between theoretical preparation in the schools of nursing and actual hospital clinical work in a public hospital in Bahrain and to suggest possible solutions to overcome these gaps.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive study design was used in a tertiary public hospital in Bahrain. Ten newly employed registered nurses were recruited using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and a thematic analysis was employed.
Results: Two Over-arching themes emerged from the analysis of the responses. The first identified the causes of the gaps that new nurses face in the transition (Lack of autonomy, technology employed in healthcare settings, impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and lack of clinical exposure). The second provided possible solutions for these gaps (Open communication and collaboration, orientation phase and preceptorship, empowerment and self-confidence, and more clinical exposure).
Conclusions: Good collaboration between schools of nursing and healthcare care organizations can incorporate suggested solutions given by the study participants to reduce the identified gaps.
Keywords: Clinical nursing education; Education; Nursing; Nursing education; Students; Theory-practice gap.
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