Supporting nurses study: lay supporters and their work

Nurse teachers are familiar with the study support arrangements made through the university, but what sorts of support do nurse learners obtain from lay sources? Within part time modes of study and particularly where students have multiple other commitments as professionals, partners and parents, the support obtained from friends and family may be critical to student success. This paper describes the work of lay supporters who assisted post registration, undergraduate nurses completing a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing studies by distance learning. Research was designed using grounded theory methodology and provided a substantive account of the ways in which students and lay supporters negotiated help. Data gathering centred upon 41 interviews with students, including 11 joint interviews with the student and a chosen lay supporter. Additionally 59 field observations and 24 tutorial observations were made where further student reported data was gathered about lay support. This study concluded that lay support contributed a significant amount to student progress but that academic staff remained largely unaware of the types and variety of help received there. Lay support in part determined the nature of requests for help that was then made to tutors.