Realising the dream of becoming a nurse: Underrepresented BSc nursing students experiences

Midwifery students' experiences of their clinical internship placement during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland: A qualitative descriptive study

OBJECTIVE

To explore the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on midwifery students' experiences of clinical internship placement in the final year of their midwifery programme.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study was conducted following ethical approval. Four online focus groups were facilitated.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

To prepare for autonomous practice, BSc Midwifery students in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) undertake a 36-week internship in the final year of their programme. Midwifery students (n = 15), from one Higher Education Institute (HEI), who were undertaking internship across two clinical practice sites volunteered to participate in the study.

FINDINGS

Four overarching themes were identified: Fear and uncertainty of internship in the context of a pandemic, Consequences of COVID-19 within the clinical environment, Student supports, Opportunities and challenges during internship. Working within a health care environment dominated by the presence of COVID-19 had significant consequences for the students and their provision of care for women and families. Students were challenged with managing increased responsibility within the context of COVID-19 practice requirements and restrictions. Students balanced their need to progress to autonomous practice, whilst acknowledging their needs as learners. COVID-19 also brought unexpected benefits, which included enhancing students' ability to develop relationships with women in their care, and students described a sense of belonging within the midwifery team.

KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Midwifery students identified internship, during the COVID-19 pandemic as challenging and stressful. However, students also portrayed a sense of pride in their achievements. Support structures assisted students to cope during this period which included peer support, protective reflective time (PRT) in the HEI and support from clinical placement coordinators in midwifery (CPC-Midwifery) within clinical placements sites. It is essential that these support structures continue within midwifery educational programmes. Promoting peer support in a more formal support structure may need consideration. These support structures need to be protected and enhanced during unprecedented times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Effects of a Non-Technical Skills Training Program on Emotional Intelligence and Resilience in Undergraduate Nursing Students

There is a growing body of research on emotional intelligence and resilience in nursing students. However, there is little evidence of the development of these variables in intervention programs. This study aims to analyze the effects of a non-technical skills training program in emotional intelligence and resilience. Sixty students in the second year of Nursing Education from a Spanish public university completed this psychoeducational course. The pre-experimental design was longitudinal with pre- and post-intervention evaluation. The course consisted of 12 sessions of classroom education, three small-group workshops and a set of individual activities. Results in the emotional intelligence dimensions showed that Clarity (t = 3.10, p = 0.003) and Repair (t = 3.59, p < 0.001) increased significantly after participation in the program. Furthermore, the participants had a higher Resilience index when they had completed the program, with a statistically significant difference from the pre-course mean (t = 2.83, p = 0.006). This non-technical skills training program was an effective method of improving emotional intelligence and resilience in nursing students. Therefore, its use is recommended as a psychoeducational strategy for training undergraduate nursing students, as it improves their personal and professional competencies, resulting in higher-quality care.

Student nurses' views on shift patterns: What do they prefer and why? Results from a Tweetchat

Aim

The main aim of the study was to understand student nurses’ views around shift patterns.

Design

Qualitative study.

Method

We held a Tweetchat in May 2019, where we asked questions around the frequency of 12‐hr shifts working on placement; schedule flexibility while on placement; which shift patterns they preferred and why. Data from the Tweetchat were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate themes from initial codes.

Results

Seventy‐three nursing students participated in the Tweetchat. The majority reported that they work 12‐hr shifts on placements, particularly when based in a hospital. We identified three themes: ‘Achieving a personal equilibrium’; ‘Meeting the needs of the care environment’; ‘Factors affecting negotiation capacity’. Data highlighted a conflict for most students, where they preferred 12‐hr shifts because of more time off for study, paid work and leisure, while acknowledging 12‐hr shifts negatively affected their fatigue, exhaustion and led them to follow a poor diet and neglect exercise and sleep.