The student experience of a ‘kidney CAMP’ as a primary care clinical placement for undergraduate nursing students

Abstract

BackgroundHistorically clinical placements have been within acute care settings. In a more contemporary society, the future focus of health care is primary care, with an emphasis in expanding primary care clinical placements, to meet the needs of increasing workforce requirements. An innovative collaborative educational model was designed to provide a high quality learning experience and to increase numbers of students experiencing a primary care clinical placement. ObjectiveTo explore student nurses' lived experiences within an innovative primary care setting. MethodsA qualitative case study was undertaken to analyse nursing students' experiences at the Kidney Kids Camp primary care clinical placement. FindingsParticipants described how the primary care placement changed their view of nursing and the nurses' role. Five themes emerged from the research: developing knowing through children's eyes; entering the world of primary care; facing a journey of self-discovery; it's all in the way you communicate and; it makes you think differently about nursing. DiscussionThe experience of this primary care placement enabled nursing students to enter the world of children living with chronic illness. Immersing students into this unique environment enabled them to gain a greater insight into primary care through the eyes of the children. ConclusionKidney Kids camp experiences presented nursing students with an enhanced appreciation of primary care nursing, working with children, and an understanding of the impact of chronic health illnesses, through the primary care lens.