Undergraduate nursing students’ strategies for coping with their first clinical placement: Descriptive survey study

Abstract

Background: Clinical placement is an essential component in academic nursing programs to provide nursing students with an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. The first clinical placement can be an extremely stressful experience for some nursing students, which may affect their decision to be a nurse. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify factors and strategies that enable a positive experience of the first clinical placement for first year nursing students. Design: Mixed methods descriptive survey design. Settings: The study was conducted in a nursing school at one university in South Australia. Respondents: Respondents were all first year undergraduate nursing students at a higher education facility in South Australia. Methods: Data collection tool was an online questionnaire including quantitative and qualitative questions. Coping strategies framework informed qualitative analysis. Results: Respondents identified a range of strategies that had enabled them to positively cope with their first clinical placement experience. Strategies included use of debriefing sessions with their clinical lecturers and seeking-out their friends and family to talk about their first clinical placement experiences. Other strategies included being adequately prepared before the clinical placement, identifying and seeking advice from supportive nursing staff and effective communication between nursing schools and clinical institutions about placement arrangements and expectations. Conclusions: It must not be forgotten how stressful first clinical placements are. This experience will leave a lasting impression on students’ introduction to the nursing profession. Sharing coping strategies used by nursing students will assist to provide a positive introduction to nursing practice.