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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The Hidden Curriculum in Post registration Children’s
Nursing.
Thelma Begley,
Lecturer in Children’s Nursing
School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Dublin
Trinity College
24 D’Olier St
Dublin 2
Phone 01- 8964041
E Mail: tbegley@tcd.ie
Qualifications: RGN, RCN, RNT, MSc in Nursing (Hons) and BNS
(Hons). Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing and Higher Diploma in
Nurse Education.
Background and Context
Messages are emitted to student nurses via the structure, rules and
routine of the clinical areas. A large proportion of the messages that
the students learn are carried in the hidden curriculum. The hidden
curriculum describes the values that are transmitted via the ward
culture and environment to students.
Aim of the Study
The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of post
registration children’s nursing students in the first clinical
placement.
Methodology & Analysis
A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was employed to
interpret the experiences of post registration children’s nurses
during the first placement. Data was collected on a purposive
sample of six students, using unstructured interviews. Thematic
content analysis was utilised to produce an interpretation of the
nurses’ experience within the first clinical placement.
Summary of Key Findings
The students discussed learning and working in the clinical area as
part of the labour force as a rostered member of staff and the
messages they received in relation to this. Specific areas discussed
within this were:
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