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Beyond Professional Practice: Teaching Nursing Students to Care

Primary Author: Laurel K. Bradshaw, DNP, RN
Co-Principal Investigators/Collaborators: N/A
Organization: Utah Valley University

 

 

 

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to explore the question, Do nursing students’ perceptions of caring change after completion of “A Nursing Student’s Guide to Caring,” a course aimed at nurturing the affective domain? 

Background

Nursing requires a wide-range knowledge of illness, medications, and technology; however, it is not enough to simply possess these qualities to be a competent effective nurse. Nursing also requires emotional aspects such as caring, nurturing, and compassion. Thus, changes must be made at educational institutions to devote more attention to cultivating caring among nursing students. 

Materials & Methods

The Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice model acted as a guide for this project, as it focuses on the implementation of evidence-based practice via structured programs of nursing education. The goal of this project was to plan, design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing caring curriculum. Jean Watson’s model of human care and Sharon Dingman’s caring model were used as theoretical frameworks for this project. Both theories define behaviors and principles that contribute to the understanding of human caring. The Caring Dimensions Inventory (CDI) instrument tool was used to measure second semester student nurses’ perceptions of caring. Pre and post tests helped determine whether student nurses perceptions of caring changed following completion of the course “A Nursing Student’s Guide to Caring.” Thirty-five nursing students completed questionnaires prior to and following the educational training. 

Results

There were statistically significant improvements between pre and post scores of all items (p < 0.05) within the CDI, with exception to item 16 (p = 0.29). Results of the t-test indicated that second semester nursing students’ self-evaluation of their personal caring behaviors were significantly higher at the end of the semester (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

 These findings suggest that student nurses’ perceptions of caring within nursing practice can be altered through educational intervention on caring.

 

Bibliography

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© Improvement Science Research Network, 2012

The ISRN published this as received and with permission from the author(s).