Aim: The aimof this studywas to explore the relationship between, and factors that may influence final semester
nursing students' need to belong, sense of belonging and workplace satisfaction while on clinical placements.
Methods: A cross-national longitudinalmultiphase explanatory sequential mixed methods study underpinned by
a pragmatic theoretical frameworkwas used for this study. A convenience sample of third-year nursing students
fromtwo Australian and one Canadian university (n=468)were recruited. Participantswere asked to complete
a 62 itemsurveywhichwas a composite of three previously validated surveys: the 10 item ‘Need to Belong Scale’,
the 34 item ‘Belongingness Scale: Clinical Placement Experience (BES:CPE)’ and the 18 item ‘Nursing Workplace
Satisfaction Questionnaire’. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Key results indicated that participantswanted to have someone to turn to, and to be accepted; they found
nursing work interesting and considered it worthwhile to make an effort in this meaningful job. Participants
were usually comfortable to ask for and accept help but many felt discriminated against during clinical placements.
Only belongingness was strongly correlated with workplace satisfaction.
Conclusions: Irrespective of site, nursing students' satisfied sense of belonging influenced their workplace satisfaction
while on clinical placements. Workplace satisfaction is a key determinant of career decisions and the results
from this study have the potential to inform clinical placement practices and policies and to influence
beginning nurses' decisions to continue in the profession.
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