Abstract
Background: Preregistration nursing students frequently seek employment as healthcare support workers (HCSWs). However, little is known about their experience of alternating between these two roles.
Aim: To explore the experiences of preregistration nursing students working as healthcare support workers.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three preregistration nursing students working part-time as HCSWs in the NHS. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Findings: Analysis of the interview data produced the overarching theme of ‘walking the tightrope’. The overarching theme contained four subthemes: ‘preparing to get on the tightrope’; ‘balancing on the tightrope’; ‘having the stamina to stay on the tightrope’; and ‘preparing to get off the tightrope’.
Conclusion: Nursing students gained experience and confidence while working as HCSWs, but were challenged by the limitations and demands of the role.
Aim: To explore the experiences of preregistration nursing students working as healthcare support workers.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three preregistration nursing students working part-time as HCSWs in the NHS. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Findings: Analysis of the interview data produced the overarching theme of ‘walking the tightrope’. The overarching theme contained four subthemes: ‘preparing to get on the tightrope’; ‘balancing on the tightrope’; ‘having the stamina to stay on the tightrope’; and ‘preparing to get off the tightrope’.
Conclusion: Nursing students gained experience and confidence while working as HCSWs, but were challenged by the limitations and demands of the role.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 11892 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Nursing Standard |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 17 Apr 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 3 May 2023 |
Keywords
- career pathways
- education
- healthcare assistants
- interprofessional learning
- nursing students
- professional
- professional development
- qualitative research
- research
- students
- student nurses
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nursing (miscellaneous)
Documents and Links
- Author accepted manuscript
© RCNi 2023 Reproduced in accordance with the publisher policy. This is the author accepted manuscript version of the record. The version of record is published in Nursing Standard Journal and can be found at https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2023.e11892