title: What exposure do student nurses have to Primary Health Care and community nursing during the New Zealand undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing programme?
abstract: A research project to examine the theoretical and practical exposure student nurses have to Primary Health Care (PHC) and community nursing in their undergraduate programme was undertaken in New Zealand (NZ). Providing quality clinical placements for health care students is acknowledged as a major challenge for tertiary institutions. In order to reflect the current shift in health care delivery from hospital to community settings, one such challenge is to ensure students receive appropriate theoretical programme content and clinical experience in PHC and community settings. The project consisted of a review of relevant international literature, and a questionnaire sent to all NZ tertiary institutions providing a Bachelor of Nursing (BN). Findings included a variable understanding of the concept of PHC, a lack of appropriate PHC placements across the country, competition for student placements in PHC, and professional organisation requirements for student supervision impacting on placement availability. Innovations identified to increase PHC placements comprised the establishment of Dedicated Education Units (DEUs), curriculum revision, and final year PHC placements offered only to students targeting PHC settings on registration. Study recommendations involve establishing a regional rather than a local approach to managing clinical placements, increasing professional governance support and reviewing clinical placement funding.
authors: Nurse Maude, PO Box 36 126 Christchurch, New Zealand. Electronic address: karenbe@nursemaude.org.nz.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Betony
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Yarwood
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Clinical practice placements; Placement capacity; Primary health care; Undergraduate nursing students