Fit For Practice Research Articles

Student attendance during college-based lectures: a pilot study.

Aim: To identify the factors that influence attendance and absenteeism among a group of second-year nursing students during the theory component of the Fitness for Practice (FFP) curriculum. Method: In 2004, a non-randomised questionnaire was used to elicit information about the factors surrounding absenteeism from 75 adult branch nursing students within the first FFP cohort. The questionnaire consisted of 48 questions and was designed to generate a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data. Absence was recorded for the first 91 weeks of the programme. Results: The main reasons identified for absence included: illness, family commitments, dental and medical appointments, and impending assignment submissions. Other factors that might influence college attendance included a dislike of certain subjects, with ethics, law and social policy identified as the least popular subjects. Students also admitted to an increase in absence around the time when assignments are due for submission and occasionally pretended to be ill. Conclusion: Further studies should be undertaken with other pre-registration nursing student cohorts to compare the results with this research. There should be: an increase in self-directed learning; a ‘family-friendly’ approach to the curriculum by allocating selfdirected study during school holidays; a reduction in the number of theory hours to coincide with students’ external commitments and to assist them with the demands of studying; and time for private study before the submission of theoretical assignments.

Student nurse theatre placements. The new curriculum.

Following the implementation of the Fitness for Practice (FFP) nurse education curriculum, opportunities are available for student nurses to return to the operating theatre environment during their surgical module. This follows a ten-year absence in most parts of Wales. This article investigates what realistic placement objectives are available for student nurses in Wales and how close mentor supervision can enhance the learning process and promote the clinical experience of theatre nursing.

Workplace learning: pre-registration nursing students' perspectives

Current issues concerned with pre-registration education are focused on students'fitnessfor practice at the point of registration. Interest in what takes place in clinical settings is becoming central to discussions. This paper presents findings from a phenomenological, longitudinal study of eight volunteer students undertaking a nursing degree course in the UK. The study examined the nature of students'; professional development whilst learningin clinical settings. The study used a multi-method approach to data collection of which the major approach was individual interviews conducted over students' 12 or more clinical placements supplemented by observation, illuminative art and analysis of students' documented critical incidents.Data were analysed using a constant comparative method (Glaser 1965) to construct individual case studies of the five completing students. This was then followed by a cross case analysis of all the participating students and a content analysis to respond to each research sub-question.Findings demonstrated that students are concerned with seven categories of professional knowledge development. A fundamental influence on this process was effective mentorship as defined by Spouse (1996). Important secondary factors were support provided by peer group discussions, students' concepts of nursing and the nature of clinical activities they were engaged in when visiting clinical settings.