Not choosing nursing: work experience and career choice of high academic achieving school leavers

Work experience has been a feature of the secondary school curriculum in the United Kingdom for a number of years. Usually requested by the pupil, it aims to provide opportunities for school pupils to enhance their knowledge and understanding of an occupation. The main benefits are claimed to be that it can help pupils develop an insight into the skills and attitudes required for an occupation and an awareness of career opportunities. However the quality and choice of placements are considered to be of great importance in this process and in influencing career choice [Department for Education and Skills (DfES), 2002a. Work Experience: A Guide for Employers. Department for Education and Skills, London]. As university departments of nursing experience a decline in the number of school pupils entering student nurse education programmes, and with the competition for school leavers becoming even greater, it is important to consider whether school pupils have access to appropriate work placements in nursing and what influence their experience has on pursuing nursing as a career choice. This paper is based on interview data from 20 high academic achieving fifth and sixth year school pupils in Scotland, paradigmatic cases from a larger survey sample (n=1062), who had considered nursing as a possible career choice within their career preference cluster, but then later disregarded nursing and decided to pursue medicine or another health care profession. This was partly reported by Neilson and Lauder [Neilson, G.R., Lauder, W., 2008. What do high academic achieving school pupils really think about a career in nursing: analysis of the narrative from paradigmatic case interviews. Nurse Education Today 28(6), 680-690] which examined what high academic achieving school pupils really thought about a career in nursing. However, the data was particularly striking in revealing the poor quality of nursing work experience for the pupils, and also their proposal that there was a need for work experience which was more representative of the reality of nursing. Participants reported that proper work experience in nursing could make it more attractive as a career choice but that there were difficulties and barriers in obtaining an appropriate work experience in nursing. These included unhelpful attitudes of teachers towards work experience in nursing in general and the placements themselves which were typically in a nursing home or a care home. They felt that departments of nursing within universities should have an input into organising more realistic work placements and that their involvement could foster greater interest amongst pupils in nursing as a career

Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward Mental Health Nursing

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe undergraduate nursing students’ attitudes toward mental health nursing and how these attitudes influenced their professional career choices in mental health nursing. Design: A descriptive, online survey was utilized to examine students’ perceptions of mental health nursing. A total of 229 junior and senior nursing students were recruited from eight nursing colleges in Midwestern United States to participate in this survey. Results: Students of different ages, genders, ethnicities, and nursing programs did not report significantly different perceptions of: (a) knowledge of mental illness; (b) negative stereotypes; (c) interest in mental health nursing as a future career; and (d), and beliefs that psychiatric nurses provide a valuable contribution to consumers and the community. Negative stereotypes were significantly different between students who had mental health nursing preparation either in class (p = 0.0147) or in clinical practice (p = 0.0018) and students who had not. There were significant differences in anxiety about mental illness between students who had classes on mental health nursing (p = .0005), clinical experience (p = 0.0035), and work experience in the mental health field (p = 0.0012). Significant differences in an interest in a future career in mental health nursing emerged between students with and without prior mental health experience and between students with and without an interest in an externship program with p-values of 0.0012 and \u3c 0.0001, respectively. Conclusions: The more exposure that students have to mental health nursing through clinical experiences, theory classes, and previous work in the field, the more prepared they feel about caring for persons with mental health issues

‘It would not be tolerated in any other profession except medicine’: survey reporting on undergraduates’ exposure to bullying and harassment in their first placement year

OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent to which undergraduate medical students experience (and/or witness) bullying and harassment during their first year on full-time placements and to compare with new General Medical Council (GMC) evidence on bullying and harassment of doctors in training.SETTING: A UK university offering medical and nursing undergraduate programmes.PARTICIPANTS: 309 medical and nursing undergraduate students with 30-33?weeks' placement experience (123 medical students and 186 nursing students); overall response rate: 47%.PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: (A) students' experience of bullying and harassment; (B) witnessing bullying and harassment; (C) actions taken by students; (D) comparison of medical and nursing students' data.RESULTS: Within 8?months of starting clinical placements, a fifth of medical and a quarter of nursing students reported experiencing bullying and harassment. Cohorts differ in the type of exposure reported and in their responses. Whereas some nursing students follow incidences with query and challenge, most medical students acquiesce.CONCLUSIONS: Bullying and harassment of medical (and nursing) students-as well as witnessing of such incidents-occurs as soon as students enter the clinical environment. This augments evidence published by the GMC in its first report on undermining of doctors in training (December 2013). The data suggest differences between nursing and medical students in how they respond to such incidents.<br/

Role Strain of Nursing Students in Obstetrical Clinical Rotations: Is Role Strain Greater for Male Students?

As increasing numbers of men enter the career of nursing, it is important that nursing educators identify areas of role strain and learning needs that may be different from their female counterparts This research project examined the role strain factors of nursing students who have completed the maternaVnewbom (obstetrical) clinical experience in a baccalaureate nursing program. The research question addressed in this research project was: Do male nursing students experience greater role strain than female nursing students in the matemaVnewbom setting? A convenience sample of male students (N=23) and a random sampling of female students (N=23) participated in this study. The Junior and Senior level nursing students who had completed the obstetrical rotation within the last 3 semesters were recruited to complete the Sherrod Role Strain Scale ( 40 question Likert scale survey tool) at specified times during fall semester 2008. Data was analyzed as grouped data and female/male responses were also compared. The overall score showed no gender differences in role strain (p value= 0.917). The four subcategories (Overload, Conflict, Incongruity, and Ambiguity) also did not reflect gender differences in this sample. The findings of this study did not support the concept of male students experiencing greater role strain than their female counterparts. Further studies examining role strain factors, student perceptions of role strain, and comparing men students in various nursing programs are recommended

The effects of strain, reproductive condition, and strain of placenta donor on placentophagia in nonpregnant mice

The effects on placentophagia of strain, reproductive condition, and strain of placenta donor were observed in nonpregnant mice. Mice of the C57BL/6By and BALB/cBy strains were exposed to placentas of either strain after either no previous parturitional experience, one parturitional experience without nursing experience, or one parturitional experience with nursing experience. There was a significant effect of strain, a significant effect of reproductive condition, but no significant effect of strain of placenta donor. There was a significant interaction between strain and reproductive condition, but no significant interactions with placenta strain. It was inferred that the ability of a mouse to acquire and utilize relevant stimuli during and after parturition, in order to produce an emancipation of placentophagia from the physiological controls associated with parturition, is influenced by genotype

Class Size and Nursing Students\u27 Perception of Empowerment

Due to increases in enrollment and budget cuts in many states, college class sizes are reaching unprecedented sizes (Carpenter, 2006). Nursing schools are facing the same challenges. Only limited research has been conducted on the effects of class size on nursing students\u27 perception of empowerment Conger (1989) defines empowerment as the act of reinforcing one\u27s belief in his or her perception of competence. Empowerment is important for nursing students\u27 education (Chally, 1992). To achieve the optimal learning experience in face of increasing class size, it is important to explore how nursing students experience learning in both small and large class environments. This study surveyed 71 BSN students enrolled in both small- and large-size classes on their perceptions of empowerment The study\u27s findings showed statistically significant differences in favor of smail classes positively impacting the students\u27 perceptions of empowerment and the quality of their individual learning experiences

Innovative learning from simulated patient complaints

Repeated inquiries have highlighted issues with patient safety, communication and the exploration of complaints, emphasising the interplay between each in securing the optimum patients’ journey through health and social care provision (Francis 2013, Keogh 2013). The Care Quality Commission (2014) highlighted that every concern or complaint is an opportunity to improve. A complaint may signal a problem, with the potential to help save lives, and well-handled concerns can help to improve the quality of patient care. Despite these potential benefits there is a wide variation in how complaints are handled or the fostering of an open culture where all complaints are welcomed and learnt from. The University of Derby in delivering pre-registration nursing education utilises simulation to explore patient complaints in order to facilitate recognition of the value they offer, providing transferability to enhance nursing practice and improve patient safety. The simulated experience consists of examining the reasons for complaints; impacts upon service users; lessons for nurses and other health professionals; means of address and preventing repetition of similar incidents;enhancements for practice and lessons for organisations. As part of this process the inclusion and effects of Human Factors are explored from the inception of the simulation experience. Students’ simulate three phases: root cause analysis; the development of a response letter; and a proposal for practice enhancement. These are all subsequently explored via a simulated Boardroom experience. This consists of a panel of allocated ‘experts’ to which the students’ present their findings and recommendations to enhance potential future patient experience and safety. Robust exploration of students’ thought processes and actions are incorporated within this experience via questioning, observation and reflections of the panel. Resulting from this simulation, students develop key transferrable skills: critical thinking; team working; leadership; knowledge of systems and processes; communication skills; customer care; quality assurance, governance and promoting patient safety that are mapped against the competencies outlined in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Education. This experience and feedback is recorded within each students practice document. This is used for subsequent review by their practice mentor, and can be used as part of their practice assessment at the applicable progression point. Learning from service user complaints is high on the agendas of commissioners and healthcare providers. This simulated experience has the potential to be transferred in to not only nursing practice but also any other healthcare professional pre-registration education and continued professional development. References Care Quality Commission (2014) Complaints Matter. Newcastle Upon Tyne: CQC. Francis, R. (2013) Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, London: The Stationery Office. Keogh, B. (2013) Review into the Quality of Care and Treatment Provided by 14 Hospital Trusts in England: An overview report. London: The Stationary Office. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Education. London: NMC. Key words: • simulation • complaints • patient safety • enhancing practice. Bullet points that indicate how your work contributes to knowledge development: • innovative approaches to teaching and learning through the application of simulated complaints • enhancement of patient safety and the quality of care • development of transferable competence for nursing practice

Learning Cultural Humility Through Stories and Global Service-Learning

Service-learning experiences are often utilized by nursing programs in efforts to increase the cultural competence of nursing students. Through the use of sharing story, the concepts of cultural competence and cultural humility can be explained for students preparing for upcoming intercultural experiences. This case study describes the experience of nursing students and university faculty on their first service-learning trip to rural Kenya and how the intercultural issues were navigated there as students developed characteristics of cultural humility. This story is now being shared in preparations for subsequent international trips with nursing students and can be a model for programs wanting to prepare for service-learning experiences

A study of the influence of the socieconomic background of the nursing student on attitude toward selected nursing activities

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston UniversityThis study was undertaken to determine the influence of socio-economic background of nursing students upon attitude toward selected nursing activities. The review of literature suggested that there may be a relationship between socio-economic background and student attitudes. The sample chosen for study was composed of fifteen junior students in a medical-surgical nursing class of a basic collegiate school of nursing. A tool was developed to elicit attitudes about twenty-seven commonly performed nursing activities. Socio-economic background factors were obtained by collecting data pertinent to occupational classification of the father, age of the student, number of siblings, previous work experience in a hospital, participation in household tasks, and number and kind of employed household help. This information was analyzed in relation to the students' expressed attitudes toward the selected nursing activities [TRUNCATED

The development of simulated learning environments involving coroner’s court attendance in mental health nursing education

Simulated learning environments (SLEs) provide students with the opportunity to experience complex practice elements with minimal professional risks. This article explores the development of an SLE in undergraduate mental health nursing education. The SLE focuses on events surrounding a client death and follows attendance at a coroner’s court. Student learning outcomes are focused on evaluating essential components of nursing care including communication, record-keeping, risk-taking and ethical decision-making. The SLE, which is now in its fourth iteration, allows educators to review and adapt the teaching practices to achieve the curriculum learning outcomes and encapsulate the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code. This article proposes future possibilities for the use of complex simulation dramas to enhance nursing student preparedness for registration