Objective: To describe the psychometric properties of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NW) among undergraduate nurses and to compare their perceptions of the nursing practice environment by academic year and unit type.
Background: Despite the fact that nursing students develop most of their undergraduate learning and training in the nursing practice environment, their perception about it has not been considered to date.
Methods: The psychometric properties were analysed on a sample of 180 undergraduate nurses. Data collection was carried out in 2018. Data were analysed using percentages, frequencies, mean, standard deviation and Mann-Whitney U test. Factor structure was evaluated with exploratory factor analysis, and reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha.
Results: Psychometric analysis showed an adequate construct validity and reliability for the PES-NWI. Cronbach's Alpha was 0.884. Undergraduate nurses perceived most hospitals as favourable, scoring the 'Nurse-physician relationships' factor highest and 'Staffing and resource adequacy' factor lowest.
Conclusion: The PES-NWI is a valid and reliable instrument that could be applied in future research to explore nursing students' perceptions of the nursing practice environment.
Implications for nursing management: Nurse managers are responsible for supervising and ensuring that the nursing practice environment at university hospitals meets the necessary criteria to support the workplace learning of undergraduate nurses.
Keywords: clinical placement; nurse management; nursing; practice environment scale of the nursing work index; students; work environment.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.