First clinical practice experiences of nursing students in intensive care unit: A qualitative study

Background Nursing students' practice experiences in the intensive care unit will greatly influence their acquisition of professional skills and the development of their future nursing roles. Aim This study aimed to determine nursing students' first clinical practice experiences in the intensive care unit. Study Design The type of research is qualitative research. The study data were collected from 14 students who were doing clinical practice in the anaesthesia intensive care unit of a university hospital. Face-to-face individual interviews were conducted with each student. A semi-structured interview guide was used in the interviews. Data were analysed with MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2020. This study adhered to the COREQ checklist for reporting. Results Four main themes were reached: 'First Emotions in the Intensive Care Unit', 'Experiences Related to the Perception of Profession', 'Experiences Related to Patient Care' and 'Experiences Related to Personal Development'. It was determined that the most prominent feelings in these clinical practice experiences of the students were fear in patient care, satisfaction and professional image in professional acquisition, and making life more meaningful in their perspective on life. Conclusions Students evaluated the intensive care clinical practice as beneficial in terms of professional and personal development. It is recommended that an orientation program be organized for students before intensive care clinical practice. Relevance to Clinical PracticeQualified critical care nurses of the future are a product of a qualified nursing clinical education today.