Students clinical experience in nursing: transition of identities

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe nursing students clinical experience in the Maternal-Child and Psychiatric Nursing Department of the School of Nursing of the University of São Paulo (EEUSP). This activity has been implemented since 1996, not only to follow the demands of the Minimum Curriculum in Nursing, but also to give consistency to one of the purposes of the new curriculum of the EEUSP. This new purpose is concentrates on the facilitation of the transition process from being a student to being professional. The authors describe the experience of those involved in the process - Undergraduate student, faculty members and nurses making some considerations, regarding the results that demonstrate development of autonomy and responsibility in the future professional.