The experience of nursing students in their transition to professional practice: A social phenomenological approach

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to better understand the meaning of the learning experience in transitioning from nursing student to professional, and the meaning of their expectations from their learning experience upon their future professional practice. The social phenomenological approach of Alfred Schutz was adopted in interviewing ten nursing interns. Comprehensive living experience analysis identified that the student feels that they take on suffering and uncertainty in taking on responsibility due to their lack of knowledge, lack of confidence in their abilities, and feelings of solitude. However, to the degree they perceive support they gain confidence, autonomy, and integrate themselves with the team. He/she feels, however, that nurses are important for the transition. This study made it possible to understand the reasons and motives for their actions within the transition process, as well as how a particular social group in a given time and space is integrated into the world of everyday life.