Student Nurses Undertaking Acute Hospital Paid Placements during COVID-19: Rationale for Opting-In? A Qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Public Health
• Pandemic Response

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic necessitated innovative healthcare workforce solutions.
• Temporary UK regulations allowed final-year nursing students to undertake paid clinical placements.
• Student nurses filled a unique hybrid role, supporting the National Health Service (NHS) frontline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the motivations of undergraduate final-year student nurses undertaking paid clinical placements during the first wave of COVID-19.
• To explore the factors influencing their decision-making process.
• To identify implications for nursing education and workforce planning.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative inquiry using reflective online surveys.
• 17 final-year student nurse volunteers participated.
• Data collected weekly for 6 weeks, analyzed thematically against the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council Competency Framework.

Main Results:

• Six key themes emerged, including 'sense of duty' and 'opting-in or out'.
• Highlighted the critical role of collaboration and the tripartite relationship (University, host, student) in the learning experience.
• Identified significant insights regarding patient safety, safety climate, and governance in pandemic settings.

Conclusions:

• The study developed a 'Student Nurses Placement Framework' to guide future pandemic workforce strategies.
• Emphasized the need for robust support structures and clear communication for student placements during health crises.
• Provided recommendations for enhancing nursing workforce recruitment and retention through improved educational and placement models.