A Qualitative Exploration of the Practice Learning Experiences of Third-Year Nursing Students: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Aim: This study investigated the practice-based learning experiences of third-year nursing students under the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Future Nurse Standards (2018). The study identified enablers and barriers to proficiency achievement and explored how these experiences inform their preparation for roles as registered nurses and future practice supervisors. Background: The study focused on nursing students who began their undergraduate programs in September 2020, the first cohort under the NMC Future Nurse Standards (2018). Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the research explored clinical practice learning experiences across three higher education institutions in England, highlighting the challenges in meeting required proficiencies. Design: A qualitative approach was used, underpinned by hermeneutic phenomenology. Focus group discussions with 17 final-year nursing students were undertaken. Methods: Thematic analysis was employed to explore shared experiences of practice-based learning. Ethical approval was obtained, and data saturation ensured robust findings. Results: Five themes emerged: the physical and emotional impact of practice learning, lack of confidence in the process of assessment due to inconsisteny, being prepared for practice, the impact of the practice supervisor/assessor, and what might help. Students described the process of achieving proficiencies as exhausting and emotionally draining, with assessment inconsistencies and limited supervisor engagement contributing to stress, isolation, and reduced learning opportunities. Conclusion: While students navigated the pandemic’s impact on education, practice supervisors/assessors were seen as pivotal yet overstretched or insufficiently prepared. Findings highlight the need for standardized assessments, improved supervisor training, and tailored preplacement support to enhance practice-based learning and better prepare students for registration and future supervisory responsibilities.