Tea and talk: The stories of student nurses

Date

2000-05-31

Authors

Ellison, Patty J.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the development of role self confidence in student nurses. Twenty-eight senior student nurses from two baccalaureate programs were interviewed individually or in groups via semi-structured interviews to obtain student nurses' perspectives of the realities of self confidence in the nursing role. Data were analyzed using Spiegelberg's (1960) method of phenomenological analysis to identify essences and particulars in student interviews. Students negotiate multiple events during matriculation in nursing school to develop role self confidence. Role self confidence is constituted by the process of ongoing negotiation which consists of interaction with others, self: or situations to attain skills. Ongoing negotiation is bidirectional in that it proceeds forward to events for skill acquisition and individuals may reflect back on the event for further negotiation or skill acquisition. Skill acquisition is the consequence of negotiated events and includes, but is not limited to, technical skills, communication skills, knowledge accumulation, interpersonal interaction skills, and overcoming obstacles. Through events, role self confidence is added or subtracted dependent on student perceptions of skill acquisition. Events are situations in which students participate and negotiate skill acquisition. Events are multitudinous and daily for student nurses. The more successful the ongoing

negotiations of students, the more skills are acquired; the greater the skills acquired. the greater the development of role self confidence. The development of role self confidence is incremental, although not always increasing in individual events.

Description

Keywords

Nurses, Self-confidence, Nursing role

Citation