NICOLA Sturgeon has said the race to succeed her as SNP leader has been a "less than edifying process".
In an interview with Sky, Sturgeon said she stood by her decision to step down from her role as she believed she was becoming a "barrier to succession".
But she also offered her thoughts on how the leadership race had played out as she urged those vying for the top job to "not throw the baby out with the bathwater".
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf are all hoping come Monday, they will be the new SNP leader and subsequently first minister.
Sturgeon said: "I'm not suggesting this is not a difficult process and at times, it has been a less than edifying process.
"And what I'd say to all of those standing to suceed me as leader is remember that I am standing down for a party that hasn't lost an election in Scotland since 2010.
"This is a moment for refresh, renewal, change, but let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
"We have the trust of the people of Scotland and we've got to make sure we retain that trust."
She added: "We are going through what I would describe as necessary growing pains. It is difficult but I think we will come out of it stronger.
"Perhaps the tricky thing, given we are undefeated electorally [and] still by some distance Scotland's biggest political party, is to get that balance right between the renewal, change, refresh that's necessary, but also protecting the ingredients of our phenomenal electoral success."
The outgoing FM - who has refused to publicly back any particular candidate - denied the party was in a "tremendous mess" as interim chief executive and president Mike Russell had insisted over the weekend.
She was also questioned about the police investigation into the SNP's finances.
Police Scotland and the Crown Office are probing how £600,000 raised by the party for independence campaigning has been spent.
Sturgeon said she had not heard whether police want to interview her or her husband, Peter Murrell.
Murrell resigned at the weekend as chief executive following claims he misled the media on membership numbers.
On whether she had heard from the police, Sturgeon said: "No, I wouldn't comment on any ongoing police investigation and I am not going to comment on this one."
