Student nurses' experiences of their first clinical placement in intensive care unit: A descriptive phenomenology study

Abstract

Background: Technical complexity of patient care and the critical environment at the intensive care unit (ICU) provides a favorable setting for acquiring complicated and comprehensive skills among nursing students. Aims: The current research aims to explore the nursing students' experiences of their first clinical placement in the ICU and identify the factors that facilitate or hinder their learning. Settings and Design: A study using a qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach was conducted in one of the Oman College of Health Sciences branches. Materials and Methods: A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 12 Year II students enrolled in the Adult Health Nursing practicum course for in-depth face-to-face interviews. The data were collected in July 2020 following approval of the Ethical Review Board. Statistical Analysis Used: All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenological method. Results: The study results revealed three themes with several subthemes under each. The “experience,” “challenges,” and “the facilitating and hindering factors for learning” were the themes that emerged from the data analysis. Conclusions: Overall, students showed unfavorable responses toward the ICU experience. In addition, the unsupportive interaction with ICU staff contributed significantly to the overall impression. Therefore, strategies to enhance communication and interaction with the ICU staff are essential for a positive ICU learning experience, as students rely on the ICU staff for patient-specific information beyond their academic needs. Therefore, curriculum designers must consider these experiences to facilitate a positive experience in future clinical placements.