Being a nurse after having been a nursing student-worker: an approach of social phenomenology

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To understand the transition from being a nurse after having been a nursing student-worker in the face-to-face relationship with other nurses from conventional graduation. METHODS: This is a study using qualitative approach founded on the Phenomenological Sociology proposed by Alfred Schutz. Fifteen interviews were carried out, of which eight were performed with nursing student-workers, and seven with nurses who underwent conventional graduation and held supervision or leader positions in nursing units. The reports were analyzed according to this theoretical-methodological framework. RESULTS: Being a nurse after having been a nursing student-worker in a world with other nurses means experiencing a transformation in not only one's everyday routines, but also one's inner being, behavior, and social relationship. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for educational organizations and hospital institutions to invest in continuous education with a view to look carefully at nursing student-workers who are studying to become a nurse.