Orientations Perceived as Effective by Nursing Students

Towards Facilitating Students’ Adaptation to the Practicum Environment

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the comprehensive view of the orientations that students perceives as effective in nursing clinical practicum, and to obtain suggestions orientations that facilitate students’ adaptation to the practicum environment. A survey was conducted on 1,908 students enrolled in basic nursing educational institutions in Japan with hospital practicum experience and nurses who had graduated within the past three years. The survey included open-ended questions about effective orientations. A total of 549 surveys were returned (response rate 29%). Of the 323 respondents who indicated they had participated in effective orientations, the responses of 316 subjects to the open-ended questions were analyzed according to content analysis in nursing education according to the methodology of Berelson, B.. The results revealed 30 categories of orientations perceived as effective by students, such as explaining where supplies are stored and how they are used and identifying supplies students are permitted to use. The agreement rate for the classification into categories calculated based on the formula of Scott,W.A. was 80% or more, which indicated the reliability of these categories was assured. The 30 categories also suggested the need to implement eight items for achieving orientations that will help facilitate students’ adaptation to the practicum environment, such as selecting the content of the orientation carefully, taking into consideration the student’s position.