Workforce Recruitment Through Pre-Nursing Vocational and Education Training Schemes. A Qualitative Evaluation Through a Social Capital Lens.

Aim: To evaluate learners' and stakeholders' experiences and perspectives of two models of pre-nursing vocational education and training (VET) schemes on nursing workforce recruitment.

Design: Qualitative exploratory approach.

Methods: This qualitative study comprised online, semi-structured interviews of nine stakeholders and eight trainees from one United Kingdom region in which two pre-nursing VET scheme models were implemented. Interview data was thematically analysed and interpreted through a social capital theory lens.

Results: The interviews uncovered three key themes concerning the participants' experiences and perspectives on workforce recruitment: motivations and expectations, relational aspects of curriculum design and delivery and future possibilities. Established social structures were reported to be connected to education and clinical boundaries, enabling learners to build relationships with staff and patients and influencing their identity and career choices in healthcare. Limited placement opportunities hindered clinical learning, trainees from non-traditional backgrounds were underrepresented, and the validity of the academic preparation was unclear.

Conclusion: The study makes a novel contribution by explaining how social assets can be created for all parties through two pre-nursing VET models when stakeholders' expectations and motivations align with learners' aspirations for a vocational route into nursing. This potentially leads to recruitment into nursing and healthcare pathways. The study's insights also showed a lack of recognition of this route to nursing and a lack of standardisation in access and educational delivery. The findings have implications for policy and educational practice. A deeper understanding of the socioeconomic factors affecting learners' nursing and healthcare career choices can enhance existing knowledge. Furthermore, studies are required to compare with other regions nationally and internationally to determine how pre-nursing VET schemes significantly address the global nurse recruitment crisis while considering local social and economic contexts.

Reporting method: Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ).

Patient or public contribution: Stakeholder consultation during the study's design phase influenced the development of the research questions. Presenting the findings at a regional stakeholder workshop highlighted the key discussion points reported in the paper.