6^th World Nursing and Healthcare Conference

Biography

Biography: Hwey-Fang Liang

Abstract

Background: Pediatric practicum is an essential course for nursing students. Thus, pediatric clinical practice can be highly stressful for nursing students and it might affect their subsequent professional development. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of nursing students’ providing care during a pediatric practicum. Method: Qualitative research method was applied for this study. A semi-structured interview guide was used to interview 20 participant nursing students who had completed a pediatric nursing practicum in their junior-year at a university in the southern area of Taiwan. The verbal and non-verbal behaviors expressed by the students during interviews were, then, audiotaped and recorded during narrative process. Following, the collecting data was systematically analyzed and categorized. Results: The results show that experiences of the students can be categorized as the following: 1) developing proper relationship with children and their families (appropriate communication with children and families, being seen as a friend with child, rather than being treated as a nursing staff); 2) developing appropriate care strategies for different age level of children (using creative therapeutic play); 3) taking a good look at children’s interests and following with child care theories (children’s favorite television program, nursery rhymes, and cartoons; learning child development theories to promote children’s physical, and psycho-social status; and knowledge of childhood disease); 4) gentle and calm to cope with uncertainties during clinical practice situation. The roles expressed by these students can be categorized as follows: being a friend, a teacher, a brother or a sister. Conclusion: The result of this study can be used as references for guiding students during first stage of pediatric nursing clinical practice.