The transition of nurse education in the Republic of Ireland to third level higher education institutions in 2002 spurred many changes including provision of ‘protected time status’ for reflective practice and a 36 week work based clinical internship for pre-registration nursing and midwifery degree programmes. Reflection and reflective practice is well represented in the nursing literature, described as essential attributes of competent health care professionals. A concurrent, embedded mixed methods design was utilised using a cohort of undergraduates students registered at one large city university including midwifery and the general, mental health, intellectual disability and adult & children’s integrated courses. A purposive sample of 482 students included First year (n=253) and Final year students (n=229). Three reliable valid questionnaires were used to measure three constructs: reflective thinking levels (RTQ), students’ approaches to learning (SAL) and epistemological beliefs (EBI). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of Final year students at starting (n=24) and exiting point of internship (n=21). Findings revealed a statistically significant change in Final years (longitudinal data) with increases in three constructs over the three time points used (pre- internship; mid-point internship and end-point internship). First and Final year students were compared with statistically significant results. Qualitative findings added depth and understanding with emergent themes including; Becoming a real nurse, Making sense of RP & Coping with realities, Crossing over to the other side, Reflections on Reflection, and Moving forward to registration and beyond. Integration of the qualitative findings supported the quantitative results. Overall findings support the continued use of the internship programme with ‘protected time status’ for reflective practice and mechanisms that foster self-directed learning in students over the internship trajectory including a structured model approach, facilitative trained staff and engagement of key stakeholders. Recommendations are presented forregulatory, academic and clinical stakeholders involved in nurse education.
- undergraduate nursing students
- reflective practice
- approaches to learning
- beliefs of knowledge
An investigation to evaluate and understand nursing & midwifery students' reflective thinking levels, approaches to learning and epistemological beliefs over a internship programme in an Irish context
Kavanagh McBride, L. (Author). Jan 2015
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis