Esquema de aplicación didáctica

This is to state that I agree to participate in a program of research being conducted by Magdalena Mlek, a graduate student in Educational Studies, Department of Education, Concordia University.

Phone #: 514-931-3236

Email: [email protected]

A. PURPOSE

I have been informed that the purpose of the research is to examine the experiences of nursing students in clinical settings during their three year nursing program. The main goal of the study is to identify main stressors which cause anxiety as well as coping skills the students use in these situations.

B. PROCEDURES

I understand I will be interviewed once, for a period of 60 minutes. The interview will be audio taped and will be conducted at a place mutually agreed on with the researcher in Montreal, in March or April of 2010. My real name will not be used in the write-up of the study; a

pseudonym will be given to me and every effort will be made to keep my name confidential. After the study is complete all the audio tapes and notes from the interviews will be destroyed.

C. RISKS AND BENEFITS

The risks to me as a participant in the study are minimal. The benefit may be that my story will be used to better understand the experiences of student nurses during their clinical practice. This may help improve nursing education in the future.

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• I understand that I am free to withdraw my consent and discontinue my participation at anytime without negative consequences.

• I understand that my participation in this study is CONFIDENTIAL (i.e., the researcher will know, but will not disclose my identity). The tape of the interview, along with the names of participants will be kept in a locked cupboard in the home of the researcher until no longer needed, and destroyed at that time. All information and data obtained from participants during recruitment and interviews will be used for research purposes ONLY, and will not be shared with clinical instructors, supervisors or members of any professional order.

All data obtained during interviews will be used for research purposes ONLY.

• I understand that the data from this study may be published.

I HAVE CAREFULLY STUDIED THE ABOVE AND UNDERSTAND THIS AGREEMENT. I FREELY CONSENT AND VOLUNTARILY AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY.

NAME (please print) _________________________________________________________

SIGNATURE _______________________________________________________________

DATE _______________________________________________________________________

If at any time you have questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact Adela Reid, Research Ethics and Compliance Officer, Concordia University, at (514) 848-2424 x7481 or by email at [email protected]

As the nature of this research study involves a discussion of potentially upsetting situations, if you experience any negative effects, as a direct result of participating in this study, and require personal support and counseling, please contact counselor Johanne Godin in Counseling and Career Development Services at Dawson College at 514-931-8731, ext 1406 (room 2.D.2.)

138 Appendix B

Consent form for contacting research participants

I, ________________________________________________________________ (Print full name) agree to be contacted by Magdalena Mlek, the researcher for the study “Nursing

Students’ Experiences in Clinical Settings: Stress, Anxiety and Coping” to schedule the interview. Contact information: Telephone number: ______________________________________________ Home address: _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E-mail address: __________________________________________________ Signature: _______________________________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________________________

139 Appendix C Demographic Data Name: ________________________________________________________________________ Age: __________________________________________________________________________ Gender: _______________________________________________________________________ Marital status: __________________________________________________________________ Number of children living at home: _________________________________________________ Country of birth: ________________________________________________________________ Number of years living in Canada: __________________________________________________ Education (prior to nursing program): _______________________________________________ Work experience in health care (besides school): ______________________________________ Hours of work per week outside school: _____________________________________________

140 Appendix D

Research and interview questions

Research question 1: What are the nursing students’ experiences during clinical rotations? -Describe some of your experiences during clinical rotations.

-Give me some examples of positive or negative experiences. -How did your experiences change over time?

Research question 2: What are students’ perspectives of stressors in clinical practice? -What are some of the things which made you stressed or anxious?

-Give me some examples of the situations during clinical which made you feel stressed or anxious.

Research question 3: What promotes or hinders students’ learning?

-What did you find helpful in stressful situations to facilitate (or improve) your learning? -What hindered your learning (what prevented you from learning)?

-How would you describe the relationship with your clinical teachers? What in their approach to you was helpful / unhelpful?

Research question 4: How do students cope with their anxiety?

-What do you perceive as effective versus non effective coping strategies (or the way you were dealing with stress)?

141 Appendix E Definition of Terms

Clinical: This term is used interchangeably with “clinical rotation”, “clinical studies”, clinical setting” and “clinical experience” to describe the practical part of nursing education. Nursing students spend on average 2 days a week each semester in the healthcare setting (mostly on the units in hospitals).

Clinical Skills: The term in this study is used to describe technical skills which students perform on their patients (i.e. medication administration, dressing changes, and injections).

Clinical Teacher: This term is used interchangeably with “clinical instructor”. In this study clinical teacher is a member of the faculty in the nursing program, who apart from being a teacher at the academic level (classes, labs at school) also teaches groups of students during their clinical rotations in healthcare agencies (mainly hospitals).

Co-assigned nurse: A staff nurse who supervises nursing students. Students are usually paired with a nurse and provide care to his/her patient/patients. The nurse is ultimately responsible for her own patients.

Externship: After the second year of the program, nursing students may be hired by the hospital to work as a “student nurse”, supervised by staff nurses, but with a limited scope of practice. Internship: A clinical rotation in the last semester of the three-year nursing program when students spend four days a week on the unit. They are paired with a nurse (preceptor) who supervises them. A clinical teacher (faculty member) oversees the students on several units and meets with students a couple of times per week to discuss their progress.

Preceptor: A staff nurse who works closely with nursing student during Internship. This can also refer to a nurse who supervises the orientation of a new nurse on the unit.