‘With my heart and eyes open’: Nursing students′ reflections on placements in Australian, urban Aboriginal organisations

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that students who have immersive experiences in Indigenous settings emerge with a greater understanding of their own values and attitudes and increased appreciation for Indigenous Peoples and culture. Up to 80% of Indigenous people in Australia live in urban settings, yet research on nursing students' placements in urban Indigenous organisations is scarce. This manuscript presents qualitative findings from the analysis of eight third year nursing students' reflective essays, written iteratively across a three-week placement in urban Aboriginal organisations. Reflective journaling was employed as a pedagogical method.All the students reported experiencing profound personal and professional growth. Thematic analysis resulted in three themes ‘Working with experience and uncertainty’, ‘Developing acceptance and understanding’ and Becoming allies and advocates'.From the findings, it is evident that despite the logistical issues of a small Indigenous population and a vast nursing cohort, it is important to ensure that all nursing students have opportunities to engage authentically with Indigenous people, in places and spaces of Indigenous authority, and opportunities to reflect on their learnings in the context of their previous understandings.