Saudi Female Nursing Students’ Sense of Belonging in Clinical Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study

The objectives of this study were to: (a) explore what sense of belonging in clinical settings means to female Saudi nursing students, (b) identify the factors affecting the students’ sense of belonging, (c) identify the consequences of a sense of belonging in clinical settings from the perspectives of female Saudi nursing students, (d) modify, translate, and test the Belongingness Scale–Clinical Placement Experience (BES–CPE) instrument based on the qualitative views of the participants, (e) develop a valid and reliable tool for use in the Saudi context, (f) determine the validity and reliability of the Arab version of the BES–CPE, and (g) measure and compare the extent to which nursing students experience a sense of belonging in clinical settings. This research used an exploratory mixed-methods approach. For the qualitative phase, there were 16 student participants. For the quantitative phase, there were 273 student participants. The study was conducted at three government universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were collected using modified and translated versions of the BES–CPE. The results indicated different personal, clinical, and academic factors influenced female Saudi nursing students’ sense of belonging. The participants reported the following influential factors: distinctive characteristics of Saudi cultural values; lack of preparation; limited English language skills; and their relationship with the nursing staff, nurse educators, other health care providers, and clinical peers. The participants also reported positive consequences of a sense of belonging, such as feeling safe, valued and like a real nurse, as well as a motivation to learn. The study found that 75% of participants preferred to work with Saudi nurses who understood their needs, culture, and language. Almost 40% indicated their limited English language skills negatively affected their sense of belonging. The majority (90%) indicated an association of their sense of belonging with their motivation to learn. Only 15% indicated they liked the nurses they worked with in clinical settings; and only 13% reported feeling welcomed and accepted by the nursing staff all the time. More than 30% of participants indicated making an effort to feel accepted by the nursing staff. Therefore, students must be team members and participate in patient care to become competent nurses who can provide quality and safe care. The lack of belonging, as the students described, decreases their opportunities to learn and leads to different psychosocial problems. Saudi society and families must promote the nursing profession because the country needs national nurses who understand the language and culture of Saudi patients

Challenges Facing Nursing Profession in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, like many areas of the world, is challenged by a nursing shortage. The World Health Organization (2004), reported that there is only 40 nurses for every 10,000 of the Saudi Arabia population. In 2010, it was found that there is a chronic nursing shortage of 30% that is worsened by heavy migration of nurses. The Saudi literature links the shortage in Saudi nurses to socio-cultural factors found to influence the prevailing negative images and perceived low status of nursing. Community image, family disagreement, cultural and communal values, long working hours, mixing with members of the opposite gender, and the worry of not being a "marriageable" prospect were the main reasons why Saudi females did not choose nursing as a career (Miligi & Selim 2013). The Saudi Arabian government has committed  enormous resources to improve health care, with the ultimate goal of providing free and accessible healthcare services for every Saudi national and expatriate working within the public sector (Al-Dossary et al., 2008). However, the nursing needs of Saudi Arabia far exceed the supply of Saudi nurses. Despite continued efforts to increase the number of Saudi nurses, by 2010, expatriate nurses still constituted 74% of the total nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Health Annual Report 2010).  In Saudi Arabia, nursing is a less desirable career choice for Saudi nationals in comparison to other professions. There are a number of challenges facing nurse practitioners (Tumulty 2001). Keywords: Challenges, Nursing professio

Motivations and Barriers for Saudi Nurses to Pursue a Doctoral Degree

Background/ Purpose: A shortage of Saudi PhD prepared nursing school faculty and a limited number of advanced degree programs in Saudi Arabia, are preventing the education of enough nurses to meet growing healthcare demands and the preparation of nurses for faculty roles. The purpose of this study was to identify motivating and barrier factors that may influence the decision of a nurse to seek further education at the doctorate level. Theoretical Framework: Cross’s (1981) Chain-of-Response Model was used as to guide this study and the interpretation of findings. Methods: A mixed method design was used for this study. A questionnaire was distributed to four groups of nurses using email and social media methods. A total of 161 responses were obtained from nurses working in Saudi Arabia and internationally. The analysis strategy included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and factor analysis methods. Qualitative data analysis involved creating codes and themes to create categories of responses that could be compared with the quantitative data. Findings: There was a statistically significant difference between group membership (decided and undecided PhD study) and dispositional barriers, but no statistical difference between motivation scores and gender for either group. Analysis indicated institutional barriers were more important for female nurses in pursuing higher education. The length of time in practice or experience did not statistically impact the decision to pursue a doctoral degree, nor was it associated with motivation or barrier scores, or group membership. Analysis of the qualitative data identified important motivation and barriers factors including prior success in study or work, the need to advance nursing knowledge, personal and work aspirations, and a belief in the importance of improving professional nursing and care outcomes. Support from family members, work colleagues and fellow students were important in deciding to study for a PhD. Conclusions: This study identified motivation and barrier factors that were unique to Saudi Arabian nursing students. Knowledge of these can be used to inform policy and practice aimed at increasing the number of nursing faculty necessary to grow the Saudi nursing workforce

Arab Muslim nurses experiences of the meaning of caring

Abstract The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of caring as experienced by Arab Muslim nurses within the context of Arab culture. A qualitative approach using ethnographic methodology based on the approaches of Geertz (1973), Fitzgerald (1997) and Davies (1999) was used to develop a description that embeds the phenomena of the nurses’ meaning of caring within the cultural context. Good and Good’s (1981) meaning–centred approach was used to interpret the nurse’s explanatory models of health, illness and healing that inform the caring experience. This study conveys the cultural worlds of Arab Muslim nurses from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt while caring for Arab Muslim patients in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected over a four year period (2004-2007). Arab Muslim nurses have a religiously informed explanatory model where health is spiritual, physical and psycho-social well-being. Spirituality is central to the belief system where spiritual needs take priority over physical needs as a distinctive care pattern. The professional health belief system blends into the nurses’ cultural and religious belief system, forming a culturally distinct explanatory health beliefs system. This finding suggests that in non-Western health contexts, professional models are not dominant but incorporated into nurses’ indigenous worldviews in a way that makes sense within the culture. Caring is based on shared meanings between nurse and patient. Caring is an act of spiritualty and an action by the nurse to facilitate his or her own spirituality and that of the patient. In turn, the nurse receives reward from Allah for caring actions. A distinct ethical framework based on principles of Islamic bio-ethics guides the nurses in their caring. This research provides the missing link between Western professional nursing systems and Arab Muslim nurses’ caring models and contributes to the development of a caring model that is relevant to, and reflective of, Arab cultural and Islamic religious values. This caring model can provide direction for nurse education and the provision of care to Muslim patients, whether in Arab cultures, Islamic societies or with immigrant Muslim populations. In addition, it provides the basis for an Islamic nursing identity and a beginning point for improving the moral status and image of nursing in the Middle East

The Role of Nurse Educators in Student Clinical Education in Saudi Arabia

Background: Clinical education is considered asignificant part of the learning process for nursing students.There is, however, no research that has explored this area oflearning in Saudi Arabia. Theoretical Framework: Informed by asymbolic interactionist framework, this research explored therole of nurse educators in student clinical education in SaudiArabia. Method: Using Glaserian grounded theory methods thedata were derived from 14 face-to-face interviews with nurseeducators from both hospital and faculty settings in King Abdu-Aziz University (KAU) and King Abdu-Aziz University Hospital(KAUH). Findings: The findings of the research are representedin the core category Redefining Identity Work and its twoconstituent categories Questioning the Situation and Creating RoleIdentity. The core and sub- categories were generated through atheoretical exploration of the identity work of nurse educators inSaudi Arabia. Conclusion: The social identity of the nurseeducators was mediated culturally and socially within thehospital and university contexts and Saudi Arabian culture. Inlight of an increased understanding of the identity and role ofnurse educators in clinical education in Saudi Arabia, theresearch presents implications and recommendations that maycontribute to the development of nursing education as a coherenthealth care profession that is perceived as a desirable careeroption for Saudi women and men

Enhancing career choices and opportunities for Saudi women

Despite many efforts made by Saudi Arabian government aimed toward providing substantial opportunities to access higher education and the workforce for Saudi women, women\u27s unemployment remains high. The purpose of this study was to explore the internal factors such as self-concept, personal skills, and career aspirations, and external factors such as social norms, education system, and work environment that affect career choice for Saudi women. In addition, the study sought to examine the most important strategies that support Saudi women in their career choices. A quantitative approach was employed for this study. The data was collected primary through online survey, and the sampling consisted of 467 Saudi female students enrolled in preparatory year at King Saud University in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The findings of the study indicated that most Saudi females know which majors to chose, but they need more information about what occupations are available to them so they can make better career choices. They deemed that it is important to find jobs that do not affect family responsibilities. The study revealed that most participants seek for increasing the career training and reform Saudi labor laws to support women in their career choices. The study reviewed additional correlation analyses. Furthermore, the researcher found that most factors that affected the participants career choices were aligned with factors found in the literature. Based on the findings, the researcher offered several recommendations for Saudi females, universities, ministries as well as suggestions for future researches

Measurement of mentorship programme on clinical competence among newly hired professional nurses at a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to investigate and examine the effectiveness of a mentorship programme implemented at King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the clinical competence of newly hired professional nurses, and to make recommendations for the improvement of the mentorship programme implemented at the university hospital to help newly hired professional nurses adapt to their new working environment,( Tiew et al, 2017: 77-82) The study utilised a quasi-experimental quantitative research design (Harris et al, 2006:16-23), where the effectiveness of the mentorship programme before and after its implementation was determined, as perceived by the newly hired professional nurses. A standardised self-efficacy in clinical performance (SECP) questionnaire (Bandura, 1982:122-147), developed by Cheraghi and Hassani, was adopted to evaluate clinical competence, (Cheraghi, Hassani, Yaghmaei & Alavi-Majed, 2009:214-221) The research population in the study were newly hired professional nurses in Saudi Arabia. However, the accessible population (Liamputtong, 2013:235-246) in this study were newly hired professional nurses at King Saud University Medical City. The total accessible population size was N=100, of which 26% (n=26) were males and 74% (n=74) were females. The sampling technique used was the convenience sampling (Polit & Beck, 2016:548-555), and the acceptance rate was 100% (n=100). The study was conducted in two main parts. The first part of the study was determining the clinical competence of the newly hired professional nurses before and after the mentorship programme. The use of a pre-test-post-test survey and SECP enabled the researcher to evaluate any changes in competence during the time that the programme was implemented. The second part of the study involved developing and making recommendations to improve the implemented mentorship programme. The research findings were analysed through the IBM Social Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0 statistical analysis, (Pallant, 2010:181-247)...M.Cur. (Nursing