What Aspects of Professional Socialisation Impact on UK Adult Student Nurses’ Future Career Aspirations? A Visual Methods Study

Abstract

There have been calls to strengthen the evidence base regarding how effective pre-registration nursing education is impacting upon improved healthcare outcomes. Whilst educating more student nurses is welcomed to meet the demands of the whole health and social care economy, there is deep concern that there is a lack of evidence to ensure that students are going into areas of clinical practice in which they are needed the most. The aim of this study was to critically investigate what aspects of professional socialisation impact on UK adult student nurses’ future career aspirations. Visual methods were selected as the methodological lens of enquiry, utilising photo elicitation to discover the characteristics and attributes that UK student nurses socially construct about registered nurses from their most and least desired areas of clinical practice post registration. The methods included eight semi-structured interviews from a third-year nursing student cohort from a university situated in the Northwest of the United Kingdom. Thematical analysis was employed to inform the findings of the study. A global theme of self-actualisation was established from student nurses describing their ‘ideal registered nurse’. This study presents new knowledge on the characteristics and attributes that student nurses perceive about registered nurses from different areas of adult clinical practice, which are socially constructed through themes of professional socialisation, professional evolution, care environments and mastery of skills and attributes. These findings suggest there is a dichotomy between socially constructed views held by student nurses and the reality of the registered nurse working in the least desirable area of clinical practice. The findings echo previous recommendations for approved educational institutions and practice learning partners to collaborate to ensure students experience a diverse range of clinical practice with greater preparation for learning opportunities with good role modelling. The findings also make new recommendations for nursing education and further research into the early evaluation of the effectiveness of the new NMC (2018;2023) standards. A student nurse career aspiration disk has also been created to support discussions with personal academic tutors and academic assessors.