Nursing students' movement toward becoming a professional caring nurse

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Ethics

Background:

• Existing research prioritizes educator perspectives on nursing student development.
• There's a need to explore nursing students' own views on becoming caring professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and synthesize nursing students' perceptions of becoming a caring nurse.
• To understand the lived experience of nursing students in developing professional caring identities.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative systematic review of 13 studies.
• Thematic synthesis using Thomas and Harden's approach.
• Searches conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Premiere, and Philosopher's Index.

Main Results:

• Identified three analytical themes: connecting with inner ethics, navigating courage and understanding, and growth through role models and culture.
• Becoming a caring nurse involves an internal ethical connection and emotional engagement.
• Development is fostered by supportive environments and influential role models.

Conclusions:

• Professional identity as a caring nurse is an evolving process of self-discovery and empathy.
• Key enablers include self-awareness, courage, reflection on values, and external support.
• Lack of support can hinder the development of professional caring in nursing students.