Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Dedicated Education Units and Their Impact on Postgraduation Employment

The dedicated education unit (DEU) model was developed to address inadequacies in clinical nursing education. In contrast to the traditional clinical model, the DEU conceptualizes the cognitive apprenticeship theory by integrating bedside nurses into clinical educator roles, allowing students to be immersed in clinical settings that better prepare them for entry to practice. The Student Evaluation of Clinical Education Environment instrument was used to assess baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of their DEU clinical experience. Students viewed their faculty, preceptors, and DEU sites positively; one-third of participants applied for employment at their DEU site.