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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AN EXPLORATION OF CHILDREN’S STUDENT NURSES’
EXPERIENCES OF CLINICAL ASSESSMENT
Ms Veronica Kow MSc BNS RNT RCN RGN
College of Life Sciences
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems
University College Dublin
Belfield
Phone: 7166425
Background
A recommendation, arising from an evaluation of a pilot general
nursing registration/ diploma programme in Ireland resulted in
examination of student nurses being devolved to third level
institutions from An Bord Altranais (Simons et al. 1998). This
coupled with a recommendation of The Commission on Nursing
(Government of Ireland, 1998) that children’s nursing remain a
post-registration qualification, led to major changes in the clinical
assessment process for children’s student nurses.
Aim
The aim of the study was to explore the meaning of children’s
student nurses’ experiences of clinical assessment.
Methodology
A phenomenological approach was chosen to underpin and guide
the study. This approach was chosen as it sought to explore
children’s student nurses’ experiences in order to understand and
describe their perceptions of the phenomena and to interpret the
impact of these
experiences on them.
Analysis
Data was analysed using the procedural steps of Colaizzzi’s (1978)
research method of data analysis.
Summary of key findings
Three overarching themes ‘affirmation’, ‘activators to learn’ and
‘back to being a student’ emerged from the findings. Participants
felt firstly that their experiences of being clinically assessed resulted
in their need to be affirmed in order to know how they were
progressing throughout the programme. Secondly as clinical
assessment enhanced their motivation and self-confidence to care
for children their desire to learn increased and finally they felt it was
necessary to go through a transition period of being a student when
they commenced the programme.
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