Undergraduate nursing students' experiences with learning about wound care

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Date
2016
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Alabama Libraries
Abstract

Individuals with wounds make up a significant portion of patients in all types of healthcare facilities. As such, practicing nurses need to have a working knowledge of many aspects of wound care. Nurses have a responsibility to prevent the formation of wounds in patients cared for in acute care settings, and ensure that those patients with wounds receive safe, competent care. The problem this study addresses is the lack of understanding of student wound care learning experiences. Limited research is available to describe the amount of wound care education that Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students receive, the types of experiences offered to them, and students’ personal experiences with learning about wound care. The purpose of this study was to explore student wound care experiences and describe how students feel their educational opportunities have prepared them for wound care-related work. This project was a qualitative, adapted interpretive phenomenological study conducted at a university in a southern state. The study included 10 BSN students in their final year of study who had completed most of their clinical courses and experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using interview guides. Interviews were used to allow participants to share their wound care learning experiences and feelings about how prepared and qualified they feel they are to care for patients with wounds. A general inductive data analysis was conducted to identify themes. A thematic analysis was used to gain understanding and meaning of learning experiences expressed by the participants. Emerging themes aligned with and helped answer the research questions. The participants had similar classroom and simulation learning experiences, but clinical experiences in acute care settings were varied. Clinical experiences were dependent on clinical instructor and mentoring nurse expertise, as well as patient census at the time of the clinical experience. Participants had various life experiences that affected the learning experience, perceptions of how learning about wound care would impact their future nursing practice, and ways in which patients with wounds would be approached. Implications for policy and practice relate to nursing education curriculum about the inclusion of wound care throughout the program and engaging nursing faculty with expertise in wound care in curricular activities. Implications for nursing education also include ensuring that faculty remain up to date on emerging trends and technologies in wound care so that current, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines are included in the curriculum.

Description
Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Keywords
Nursing, Educational leadership
Citation