Trying on the professional self: nursing students' perceptions of learning about roles, identity and teamwork in an interprofessional clinical placement.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to describe how senior nursing students viewed the clinical learning environment and matured their professional identity through interprofessional learning in a student-led hospital 'ward'.


BACKGROUND
Undergraduate nursing and medical student teams participated in a trial of ward-based interprofessional clinical learning, managing patients over 2 weeks in a rehabilitation ward.


METHODS
Qualitative and quantitative program evaluation was conducted using exit student focus groups and a satisfaction survey.


RESULTS
Twenty-three nursing and medical students in three placement rounds provided positive feedback. Five main themes emerged describing their engagement in 'trying on' a professional role: 'experiencing independence and autonomy'; 'seeing clearly what nursing's all about'; 'altered images of other professions'; 'ways of communicating and collaborating' and 'becoming a functioning team'.


CONCLUSIONS
Ward-based interprofessional clinical placements offer senior students authentic ideal clinical experiences. We consider this essential learning for future interprofessional collaboration which should be included in senior nursing students' education.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia. Electronic address: kerry.hood@monash.edu.
Kerry
K
Hood
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia.
Robyn
R
Cant
Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia.
Michelle
M
Leech
Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia.
Julie
J
Baulch
Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton VIC 3168, Australia.
Alana
A
Gilbee
D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Clinical learning environment; Interprofessional learning; Medical undergraduate; Nursing; Student; Training ward; Undergraduate students