Nursing pedagogy: Qualitative study of students’ nighttime practicum’s

Abstract

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study is to explore the lived experience of student nurses experiencing their first 12-hour nighttime practicum. Pedagogy, the art, and science of nursing directs the educational context of the nighttime practicum’s significant to how students acquire knowledge and skills. However, fatigue among the students working and studying at night has resulted in requests of duty to accommodate; more time off between shifts or no 12-hour shifts. The research question is what the lived experiences of student nurses enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in nursing program completing nighttime practicum during their consolidated practice experience? Two interviews occurred; beginning and end of the students’ practicum. Themes extracted included getting ready and prepared, meeting standards of fitness to practice, nursing praxis and practice activities, providing an environment to practice, and burden of fatigue. Findings from the students’ first night time practicum highlight that assignments and clinical practice seminars should count as clinical hours, consider 8-hour versus 12-hour shifts, or five days off after a 12-hour set.