Teaching group dynamics: a critical evaluation of an experiential programme

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Group Dynamics Theory
• Healthcare Interventions

Background:

• Group interventions are increasingly prevalent in nursing practice beyond mental health settings.
• Current educational strategies for pre-registration nurses inadequately prepare them for group dynamics.
• Existing approaches lead to dissatisfaction and challenges in understanding group processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the integration of group dynamics theory into nursing educational programs.
• To address the identified dissatisfaction with current methods of teaching group dynamics to student nurses.
• To introduce and evaluate a novel course designed to improve pre-registration nurses' understanding of group dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Identification of problems with existing pre-registration nursing education regarding group dynamics.
• Design of a new educational course based on specific pedagogical principles.
• Evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of the new course.

Main Results:

• The study highlights significant dissatisfaction with traditional methods of teaching group dynamics.
• A newly designed course aims to provide a more effective introduction to group dynamics for student nurses.
• The evaluation provides insights into the implementation of this innovative educational approach.

Conclusions:

• Nursing education must evolve to incorporate comprehensive group dynamics theory for all nurses.
• The developed course offers a promising model for enhancing pre-registration nurses' skills in group work.
• Further implementation and evaluation are recommended to solidify the role of group dynamics in nursing curricula.