Building confidence: An exploration of nurses undertaking a postgraduate biological science course
Kim Van Wissen
Massey University, Wellington Campus, New Zealand
Karen McBride-Henry
Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Capital and Coast District Health Board; Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
PP: 026 - 034
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the impact of studying biological science at a postgraduate level and how this impacted on nursing practice. The term biological sciences in this research encompasses elements of physiology, genetics, biochemistry and pathophysiology.
Method: A qualitative research study was designed, that involved the dissemination of a pre- and post-course semi-structured questionnaire for a biological science course, as part of a Master of Nursing programme at a New Zealand University, thus exploring the impact of undertaking a postgraduate biological sciences course. The responses were analysed into themes, based on interpretive concepts.
Results: The primary themes revealed improvement in confidence as: confidence in communication, confidence in linking nursing theoretical knowledge to practice and confidence in clinical nursing knowledge.
Conclusion: This study highlights the need to privilege clinically-derived nursing knowledge, and that confidence in this nursing knowledge and clinical practice can be instilled through employing the model of theory-guided practice.
Keywords
nursing; theory-guided practice; biological sciences; postgraduate; education
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