TY - JOUR
T1 - Student Nurses Undertaking Acute Hospital Paid Placements during COVID-19: Rationale for Opting-In? A Qualitative Inquiry
AU - McSherry, Robert
AU - Eost-Telling, Charlotte
AU - Stevens, Dean
AU - Bailey, Jan
AU - Crompton, Rhian
AU - Taylor, Louise
AU - Kingston, Paul
AU - Simpson, Angela
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: This research was funded by The University of Chester, Quality Research (QR) monies.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/8/5
Y1 - 2021/8/5
N2 - The research aim was to evaluate the rationale of undergraduate final-year student nurses to undertake paid clinical placements during COVID-19 (Wave 1). The nursing profession reacted innovatively to meet demands placed on the National Health Service during COVID-19. Temporary changes to professional regulation enabled final-year United Kingdom nursing students to voluntarily undertake paid placements in the National Health Service. Neither full-time employees nor full-time students, volunteers undertook a unique hybrid role bolstering the front-line health workforce. Using reflective qualitative inquiry, 17 volunteers evaluated reasoning for entering practice in acute hospitals. Online surveys based around the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council Competency Framework (NMC 2012) were completed weekly for 6 weeks. Data were thematically analysed. Six themes were identified, including sense of duty, and opting-in or out. These highlighted the importance of collaboration and the tripartite relationship between University, host and student during placement, and the influence of these on the learning experience. Several significant insights emerged for nurse education and curricula during pandemics related to patient safety, safety climate and governance. The insights were used to develop a “Student Nurses Placement Framework” with recommendations for Pre-During-Post placement, offering a guide for future nursing workforce recruitment and retention.
AB - The research aim was to evaluate the rationale of undergraduate final-year student nurses to undertake paid clinical placements during COVID-19 (Wave 1). The nursing profession reacted innovatively to meet demands placed on the National Health Service during COVID-19. Temporary changes to professional regulation enabled final-year United Kingdom nursing students to voluntarily undertake paid placements in the National Health Service. Neither full-time employees nor full-time students, volunteers undertook a unique hybrid role bolstering the front-line health workforce. Using reflective qualitative inquiry, 17 volunteers evaluated reasoning for entering practice in acute hospitals. Online surveys based around the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council Competency Framework (NMC 2012) were completed weekly for 6 weeks. Data were thematically analysed. Six themes were identified, including sense of duty, and opting-in or out. These highlighted the importance of collaboration and the tripartite relationship between University, host and student during placement, and the influence of these on the learning experience. Several significant insights emerged for nurse education and curricula during pandemics related to patient safety, safety climate and governance. The insights were used to develop a “Student Nurses Placement Framework” with recommendations for Pre-During-Post placement, offering a guide for future nursing workforce recruitment and retention.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Nursing management
KW - Qualitative inquiry
KW - Student learning and experience
KW - Student nurses
KW - Voluntary placements
U2 - 10.3390/healthcare9081001
DO - 10.3390/healthcare9081001
M3 - Article
C2 - 34442138
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 9
JO - Healthcare
JF - Healthcare
IS - 8
M1 - 1001
ER -
