Factors that assist undergraduate nursing students to cope with the experience of their first clinical placement
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(Library staff access only)
Date
2016
Authors
AlShahrani, Yousef Mohammed
Editors
Advisors
Cusack, Lynette
Rasmussen, Philippa
Rasmussen, Philippa
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Abstract
Background: Nursing schools prepare nurses for their future career, therefore academic nursing
programs need to be well-developed and structured with both theoretical and practical
components to ensure they graduate competent nurses. Clinical placement is an essential
component in nursing education that integrates theoretical knowledge with clinical nursing
skills which cannot be gained by classroom education alone. The first clinical placement can
be an extremely stressful experience for some undergraduate nursing students which may
lead to negative consequences for students, the profession, healthcare settings or patients.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify factors that enable a positive experience of the
first clinical placement for first year undergraduate nursing students. This aim was achieved
by adopting three research objectives including: identifying factors from the literature that
were facilitators or barriers to first clinical placement for first year undergraduate nursing
students; identifying a framework in which to explore and discuss how first year
undergraduate nursing students coped with their experience of their first clinical placement
and identifying coping strategies first year undergraduate nursing students used to overcome
any barriers or to prevent negative experience of their first clinical placement.
Significance of the study: Results of this research will offer academics in nursing schools further insight
regarding coping strategies of nursing students in their first clinical placement, which in turn,
will assist in supporting these students to cope with the experience of their first clinical
placement, continue with their studies and enter the nursing profession.
Method: This study adopted a concurrent mixed method design and was conducted using an
online questionnaire that involved both quantitative and qualitative questions. Adaptation and
content validity was assessed by piloting the questionnaire in order to ensure that the tool was
understandable, relevant and well-designed. The study participants were all first year
undergraduate nursing students at a higher education facility in South Australia. There were
no ethical considerations or risks associated with this study.
Findings: There were fifty-eight first year nursing students of one hundred and fifty-four that
responded to the questionnaire. The majority of participants were female, aged less than
twenty years old, local students with no previous work experience as healthcare
professionals. Most participants had a level of anxiety ranging from moderately to extremely
anxious about their first clinical placement due to several reasons. These reasons included
being worried about making mistakes that could harm patients, providing direct care and
speaking to patients for the first time. Some participants were also worried about being
assessed by nursing staff and clinical lecturers, as well as inadvertently breaking the rules of
clinical placement institutions.
Factors that assisted participants to cope with their anxiety and have a positive
experience of the first clinical placement included supportive clinical lecturers and nursing
staff, co-operative patients, adequate preparation before the clinical placement, effective
communication between nursing schools and clinical institutions, and constructive feedback
from nursing staff and clinical lecturers.
Participants developed different strategies that assisted them to cope with their first
clinical placement, including talking to different people about the experience of the first clinical placement, adopting positive attitudes, asking nursing staff questions, providing help
to nursing staff and asking for help if unsure about their competence in their nursing task.
Conclusion: There are a range of strategies that can be put into place by the nursing students,
clinical lecturers and nursing staff that will enable nursing students to cope well with their
first clinical placement and to have a positive experience. The research shows that
preparation for the first clinical placement is very important for all concerned. Once on
placement, then support and encouragement by clinical lecturers and nursing staff is critical
in building the nursing students’ confidence in the new work environment. It is also essential
that nursing students are provided with opportunities to reflect and debrief with colleagues
and with friends and family about their experiences during their first clinical placement,
being mindful of patient confidentiality.
This study confirms the findings of other research of the importance of using a range
of supportive approaches for nursing students undertaking their first clinical placement to
enable them to have a positive experience that will boost their confidence as they commence
their career in nursing.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Thesis (M. Nurs. Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Nursing, 2016