The process of learning and professional development according to nursing students' experience during Covid-19: A constructivist grounded theory study

Sara Russo; Federica Dellafiore; Ida Vangone; Barbara Bassola; Cristina Arrigoni

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103502

The process of learning and professional development according to nursing students' experience during Covid-19: A constructivist grounded theory study

Nurse Educ Pract. 2023 Jan:66:103502. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103502. Epub 2022 Nov 16.

Authors

Sara Russo¹, Federica Dellafiore², Ida Vangone³, Barbara Bassola⁴, Cristina Arrigoni⁵

Affiliations

¹ Nursing Degree Course, University of Pavia, Section Istituti Clinici di Pavia e Vigevano S.p.A., Pavia, Italy.
² Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Section of Hygiene, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: federica.dellafiore@unipv.it.
³ Department of Oncology and Hematology-Oncology, IEO IEO-European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
⁴ Nursing Degree Course, University of Milan, Section ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.
⁵ Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Section of Hygiene, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.

Abstract

Aim: This study explored the experiences of nursing students with respect to learning processes and professional development during internships with COVID-19 patients to build a novel theoretical model.

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak had a profound impact on the worldwide learning system and it interrupted the internship experiences of nursing students. After the second wave of COVID-19, to balance academic activities with COVID-19 containment, some Italian universities allowed nursing students' internships in COVID-19 units. This new experience may have influenced nursing students' learning processes and professional development, but this is yet to be investigated.

Design: A qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory (CGT) approach.

Methods: Nursing students were recruited from two hospitals in northern Italy between January and April 2021. Data are gathered from interviews and a simultaneous comparative analysis were conducted to identify categories and codes, according to Charmaz's (2006) theory.

Results: The sample consisted of 28 students. The results suggested the core category, that is the 'Students' sense of belonging to the nursing profession' and four main categories: (1) From knowledge to know-how, (2) A new relationship modality, (3) Sharing and socialisation and (4) Responsibilization. Finally, a premise and a corollary, respectively (5) Motivation and the (6) Circularity of the process, were identified.

Conclusion: Our study proposed a new theory of nursing students' learning processes in clinical contexts during internships with COVID-19 patients. Despite significant difficulties, the nursing students developed a unique learning process characterised by motivation. Therefore, our study provided insight into the learning process during a pandemic and investigated the support needed for nursing students to continue their internships.

Keywords: COVID-19 outbreak; Constructivist grounded theory; Learning process; Nursing students; Qualitative study.

Publication types

Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate* / methods
Grounded Theory*
Humans
Internship, Nonmedical*
Italy
Learning
Motivation
Pandemics
Qualitative Research
Staff Development* / methods
Students, Nursing* / psychology