Head Nurses' Experiences in Clinical Practice Education of Nursing Students: A Qualitative Research

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to understand and describe difficulties and needs experienced by head nurses in the clinical practice education of nursing students. Methods: A qualitative descriptive method was employed. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants from four hospitals in South Korea. Twenty-one head nurses participated in the first interview and 17 of them participated in the second interview. Data were collected through two in-depth interviews and field notes were written. Qualitative content analysis method was utilized for data analysis using ATLAS.ti 6.2 software. Results: Thirty-one codes and twelve categories were identified. Four themes emerged from data analysis, which included 'too many tasks', 'limitations of student education', 'many differences', and 'lack of support and resources.' Conclusion: This qualitative study described head nurses' many difficulties and needs in the clinical practice education of nursing students. The results of this study provide valuable understanding and knowledge of head nurses' experiences in students' clinical education, which leads to improvement of the quality of clinical education for nursing students.