In an increasing technologised and cost-constrained healthcare environment, the role of pre-registration
nursing education in nurturing and developing the professional caring disposition of students is
becoming far more critical than before. In view of this growing demand, the aim of this study was to
evaluate the impact of Singapore's pre-registration nursing programmes on students' concept of caring. A
descriptive quantitative cross-sectional survey collected data using the Caring Behaviour Inventory from
first andfinal year student nurses, nurse lecturers and nurses in practice. Thefindings based on student
surveys indicated a statistically significant reduction in the overall level of caring behaviour infirst to
final year students. When compared with thefindings of lecturers and nurses, less variance to lecturers
than to nurses was found amongst the first years' score, and the lowest variance to nurses was
demonstrated amongst thefinal year. A greater reduction was evidenced amongst Singaporean students,
which was exaggerated with exposure to pre-enrolled nursing education and magnified with caring job
experience. This study indicates more effort is necessary to harness student caring attributes in students'
entire educational journey so that expressive caring is not subsumed in the teaching of students to meet
demands of complicated contemporary care.
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