Abstract
Objective: The circumstances of home care agencies undertaking student practice of home care nursing were investigated.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted on managers or staff members in charge of student's practice at eight home care agencies.
Results: Selection criteria for homes accepting student's practice were "no selection criteria", "homes at which students had a lot to learn", "homes at which students had no negative experiences", and "effects on the home of the user or family". Student visits were cancelled due to hospitalization or exacerbation of the condition of the user, bad response from user and/or family, protection of students from unreasonable demands of user, and irrelevant home environment for student practice. The reaction when home care patients and family were asked to accept student's practice were "ready consent", "reluctant consent", "clear reply of yes or no", "refusal" and "difficulties to visualize student's practice". The reaction of home care patients and family about students were "favorable reaction", "no complaints", and "dissatisfaction towards student practice". The reactions of visiting nurses toward student's practice included positive reactions as well as negative effects on nurses and the practical aspects of care, students' attitudes, and complaints about lack of student's competence. Difficulties in operating practical training programs were "arrangement of visit schedules", "responses to practices at multiple nursing schools and "transfer of students".
Conclusions: Educational issues in practical training programs at home care agencies include the need to enhance the preparedness of students in terms of awareness of actual homecare settings and their understanding of the uniqueness of home care nursing, in order to reduce hindrances to visiting nursing activities, and to strengthen cooperation among nursing faculty in the community.
