“I know exactly what I’m getting into”: Recommendations for pre-nursing experience: Evaluation of a pre-nursing scholarship programme

Citation

Smith A, Beattie M & Kyle R (2015) “I know exactly what I’m getting into”: Recommendations for pre-nursing experience: Evaluation of a pre-nursing scholarship programme. Nursing Open, 2 (3), pp. 105-118. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.23

Abstract
Aim: To develop a model of pre-nursing experience from evaluation of a pre-nursing scholarship for school pupils in Scotland.  Design: Action research study.  Methods: School pupils (n=42) completed questionnaire surveys and participated in anecdote circles. Student nurses acting as pupil ‘buddies’ (n=33) participated in focus groups. Descriptive quantitative data and thematic analyses of qualitative data were integrated across cohorts and campuses.  Results: Ten recommended components of a model of pre-nursing experience were identified: educational experience of: (1) face-to-face on-campus teaching; (2) hands-on clinical skills sessions; and (3) andragogy, practice exposure to (4) nursing language; (5) nurses’ emotional labour; (6) patients’ stories; (7) pupils socializing with buddies; (8) buddies planning placement activities; and (9) supporting pupils during placements. Academic attainment was not a central component of the model due to pupils’ need to (10) prioritize examined work for further/higher education entry.

Keywords
Action research; nurse recruitment and retention; pre-nursing experience; qualitative research; scholarship

Journal
Nursing Open: Volume 2, Issue 3