A Study of the Clinical Experience of Nursing Students

Sohn, Sue-Kyung; Chung, Bok-Yae; Chung, Sung-Eun; Park, Jin-Mee; Lee, Soo-Yeon

The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education 1997;3(1):59-77.
Published online June 30, 1997.

Sohn Sue-Kyung;Chung Bok-Yae;Chung Sung-Eun;Park Jin-Mee;Lee Soo-Yeon;

¹Department of Nursing, Kosin University
²Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University
³Department of Nursing, Andong Junior College
⁴Taegue Fatima Hospital
⁵Department of Nursing, Keoje Junior College

간호학생의 임상실습경험

손수경, 정복례, 정승은, 박진미, 이수연

¹고신대학교 의학부 간호학과
²경북대학교 의과대학 간호학과
³안동전문대학 간호과
⁴대구 파티마병원
⁵거제전문대학 간호과

Abstract

Nursing students have identified the clinical experience as one of the hardest and most anxiety producing components of their nursing program. Nurse educators play a critical role in assisting students to apply their knowledge skillfully in the clinical area. In order to help students through their clinical experience, faculty must first understand more fully the meaning of this experience for nursing students. A phenomenological study was conducted to explore the actual reality of the nursing students' clinical experience. The research was done through indepth interviews. Fifteen Pusan senior nursing students who had completed their clinical practice described their experiences. The data were collected during the period from October 1994 to January 1995. The data were analyzed by Colaizzi's method of phenomenological analysis. Six theme clusters emerged : the experience of emotional difficulties ; the experince of physical diffuculties ; the perception of deficiencies of knowledge and skill ; the disappointments and regrets perceived during the experience ; the awareness of various sources of joy and gratitude ; the experience of personal growth. The results of this study enable us to understand nursing students better. Also through these results, we should be better placed to help nursing students during their clinical experience and to help their gain more from this experience.