Patients' experiences of being nursed by student nurses at a teaching hospital in the Western Cape

Abstract

Patients' experiences of being nursed by student nurses at a teaching hospital in the Western Cape. Results: Three main themes were discovered after the data analysis; methods of identification of student-nurses by patients; positive perceptions of student-nurses by patients and the negative perceptions of student-nurses by the patients. Conclusion: Patients’ experiences with student nurses in their roles during their practicum vary considerably. Some patients reported that the students were very good to them, friendly; making conversations with them that would lighten up their moods. They asserted also that they felt comfortable with the technique and execution of the nursing care process by the student nurses, confirming that they see nothing wrong with them. Conversely, other patients did not hold the student nurses in high esteem and said that they were not very good with discharging their nursing duties and were sometimes found wanting in the execution of certain nursing procedures. Consequently, their experiences were not so good ranging from boredom to extreme pain during the nursing care from students. Emanating from the bad experiences that these patients have had with student nurses, they have become sceptical when it comes to receiving nursing care from student nurses and would refuse should they have the opportunity to decide.