Nursing Student's Experiences in Critical Care Course: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Critical care nursing is a requirement for senior baccalaureate nursing students at our college. Undergraduate critical care nursing course provide an opportunity for students to develop basic knowledge and skills in critical care, and exposure them to the role of the critical care nurse. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a compulsory critical care course. Design: A qualitative content analysis study design was utilised to conduct the study. Setting: The study was conducted in one university in Saudi Arabia. Participants: All nursing students enrolled in compulsory critical care course (n=180). Methods: Students were asked to report their experiences daily in writing during clinical training using a special form the self-reported learning experience form and notes from post-clinical conferences were analysed qualitatively and emerging themes were presented. Results: Participants described a variety of unique experiences throughout the course, however four main themes emerged: support, knowledge and skills, socialisation and moving on. Key factors that influence student's experiences include: support from faculty and clinical supervisor, preceptors’ attitudes towards students and learning process, course content, and patients’ acuity in the unit. Strategies such as self-directed learning and preceptorship management were found to positively improve students’ experiences. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the need for support in the form of educational activities to provide the skills and knowledge required to care for the critically ill patient, Effective preceptorship appears to be significant in attaining socialisation to the unit. Further implications and recommendations for education, practice, and research will be discussed.