Student nurses' experience of learning about the right to food: Situated professional development within clinical placement

Abstract

Background: Human rights are an important part of nursing practice. Despite its importance for professional development and practice, few studies have focused on how to include a human rights perspective in nursing education. One area proven to be particularly challenging is the right to food for older people in nursing homes.

Objective: The study's aim was to explore how nursing students experience learning about the right to food combining on-campus teaching with placement experience.

Design: The study had an interpretative qualitative design with a constructivist epistemology.

Participants: Twenty-six first-year nursing students participated in four focus groups shortly after their clinical placement at a nursing home. Twenty-five students provided their written assignment done during their placement to the study. Data collection took place in 2018.

Method: A design-based research approach was used in the development of the course. A thematic approach was used to analyse these two data sources.

Results: Findings regarding students' learning about the right to food centred on four themes: development of language about the right to food; coherence between campus and placement; experiencing situations where rights are at risk; and relations with others. Analyses of the assignments revealed that students seemed to be positioned along a continuum, between "student approach" and "activist approach".

Conclusion: Learning about food as a human right can promote students' awareness and accountability concerning their nutritional care for the residents. Combining human rights education with other learning theories focusing on practice and social relation can enhance students' professional development and commitment to social justice.

Keywords: Human rights perspective; Nursing education; Nutrition; Professional development; Right to food.