Clinical experiences of second year nursing students on their first acute care practicum

Researcher: Bernadette Osyanju
Supervisors: Dr Kristina Medigovich & Ms Irene Ikafa
Completed: 2012 (Honours)
HREC Approval number:2011/114

Acute care units are known to be busy and complex in nature with many stressors of which students find challenging. While some students with prior exposures to these areas are able to cope, special cohorts of young, inexperienced, unexposed students undergo a unique experience. The first acute care practicum is important in nursing education and influences a student’s long term goal of becoming a nurse.

This study explored the experiences of second year nursing students who did not have prior experience in acute care while undertaking their first acute care practicum. The perceptions of clinical educators on students’ first acute care practicum was equally explored.

This explorative qualitative study was conducted on a purposive sample of four nursing students and three clinical educators. Data was obtained by conducting audio recorded interviews with clinical educators and nursing students individually, from which verbatim transcripts were derived. Thematic data analysis was employed to interpret the findings and five major themes were identified: experiencing a new environment, situational learning, experiencing stress, supporting students and reflecting on placement allocation. Students and their clinical educators acknowledged there being positive and negative experiences of the practicum that influenced clinical learning.

Recommendations from this study included the need for extra support to these students, with special support offered to students who undertake their first acute care practicum in rural areas. There is also a need for further research into informal methods of preparation for practicum such as the use of internet social media being adapted by students.