An exploratory study of associate degree nursing students' conceptual basis for caring practices

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Practice
• Patient Care Studies

Background:

• Nursing educators face challenges integrating 'caring' into curricula, particularly in Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) programs.
• Existing research guides curriculum development but lacks insight into student perspectives on caring behaviors.
• Understanding student definitions of care is crucial for effective nursing education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and describe Associate Degree Nursing students' definitions of caring.
• To identify how nursing students recognize when they have successfully provided care to patients.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory study utilizing ETHNOGRAPH qualitative data analysis software.
• Systematic grouping of responses from 117 first- and second-year nursing students across two ADN programs.

Main Results:

• Student definitions of caring differentiated between addressing physical needs and psychosocial needs.
• Caring behaviors were depicted through specific actions and interactions with patients.
• Students identified knowing they cared for patients through role performance, patient comfort, patient responses, and gratification of human needs.

Conclusions:

• Findings offer practical implications for nursing educators to foster caring behaviors in students.
• Educators can create environments that enhance students' skills in delivering compassionate and effective nursing care.
• This study highlights the importance of student-centered approaches in nursing education to cultivate caring practices.