How to achieve self-growth as an intern nursing student in Intensive Care Unit: A qualitative study

To explore the clinical experiences of the intern nursing students who did their internship in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at least two months. The key point is to investigate how nursing students achieved self-development in ICUs.

Using qualitative study based on the grounded theory, we enrolled 15 intern nursing students from November 2021 to April 2022 in a Grade A hospital in Hunan Province, China.

This study developed an explanatory theoretical framework of the interns' experience in ICUs, which was described as a comprehensive growth process for ICU interns. In this process, the intern nursing students often go through three stages: pressure period, adjustment period and growth period. Self-regulation and social interaction play a key role to help them get over the negative experiences they experienced in the stress period and achieve personal development.

Clinical nursing educators could make appropriate interventions based on the characteristics of students at different intership stages in ICUs. The target training of intern nursing students should focus on their theoretical knowledge, emotion regulation, communication skills and personality optimization. In addition, clinical tutors should be trained regularly to prepare well for their important roles.