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Primary school children's participation in selecting children's nursing students
Sandra Oldfield1, Joanna Peto1, Lynn Knapp2
1Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, England.
Insights
Children
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Child Health Services
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Child service user involvement in healthcare education is recognized but rarely reported.
- Oxford Brookes University partnered with a primary school for student selection.
- This initiative involved children in selecting children's nursing students.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate children's experiences participating in nursing student selection.
- To gather children's views on their involvement in the interview process.
- To inform future iterations of the partnership.
Main Methods:
- Modified nominal group technique used for feedback.
- Children participated in interview question development and skills labs.
- Qualitative data collected on children's experiences.
Main Results:
- Children reported positive experiences with question writing and skills labs.
- Some aspects of the interview day were found to be challenging for children.
- Findings align with existing literature on child involvement in selection processes.
Conclusions:
- Partnerships between universities and schools offer mutual benefits.
- Thorough preparation, support, and evaluation are crucial for safeguarding children's interests.
- Recommendations for future research on child involvement in education selection are provided.
Abstract:
Despite the importance of seeking children's views in healthcare being widely recognised, there are few reports of child service user involvement in selecting children's nursing students. At Oxford Brookes University, the children's nursing team has had three years' experience of partnership with a local primary school where children have engaged in the selection of children's nursing students. At the end of the first year of the initiative an evaluation was undertaken to elicit the children's views about their experience of participating in an interview day. A modified nominal group technique was used to elicit feedback. The children reported positive experiences of writing and asking interview questions, and of engaging in skills lab activities, although they found aspects of the experience challenging. The findings were similar to those in the literature on this topic. Feedback from the evaluation was incorporated into children's involvement in the subsequent two years of this initiative. Partnerships between universities and schools can have many mutually beneficial outcomes, but good preparation, support and ongoing evaluation are needed to ensure children's best interests are safeguarded. Recommendations for future research are also proposed.