Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Student’s views on the facilitation of competence and
confidence development through rostered placement
Suzanne Denieffe MSc, BNS, R.G.N., R.P.N., R.N.T Course coordinator
BSc in Nursing, Department of Nursing, School of
Health Sciences, Cork Road, Waterford.
E-mail: sdenieffe@wit.ie
The development of clinical competence in undergraduate nursing
programmes is an important area of educational knowledge. In
Ireland nurse education has moved from a largely apprenticeship
model to a four year undergraduate programme. In this new model,
full time exposure to a clinical role, known as the rostered year,
occurs at latter part of their educational experience. The aim of this
research project was to explore the perceptions of a cohort of
students completing the new BSc programme in nursing in one third
level institution in Ireland. Data collection occurred in two stages;
stage one consisted of the administration of a questionnaire, based
on the Domains of Competency (An Bord Altranais 2000) to the
entire undergraduate cohort (N=99, response rate 84%). Stage 2,
focus group interviews, occurred following analysis of the
questionnaire data. The results from the survey were depth
explored through five focus group interviews with a sample (n=40)
from the cohort. The focus groups examined students’ experience of
the rostered clinical placement and the degree to which it
contributed to their development of clinical competence. This data
was analysed using a thematic approach which generated four
principal themes; ccompetence and confidence; inter-personal
relationships for learning; abandonment; learning through
reflection. The significance of the results lies in knowledge
ascertained from the students’ perspective on learning while on
rostered placement. These findings will impact on how clinical
exposure is structured, particularly in the facilitation of reflective
practice, and clarify and strengthen the links between the academic
institution and the clinical sites.
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