Iranian nursing students' preparedness for clinical training: A qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
Clinical training plays a fundamental role in nursing students' acquisition of professional capabilities. Students' preparedness for learning in clinical setting is one of the most important factors that determine the quality of clinical training. Different studies indicate the nursing students' unpreparedness for entering clinical environment.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore Iranian nursing students' preparedness for clinical training.


METHODS
This research is a qualitative research using content analysis approach. The participants consisted of seventeen nursing students, three nursing educators and one nurse, selected through the purposive sampling method and questioned in semi-structured interviews. The acquired data was analyzed by qualitative content analysis approach.


RESULTS
Two main themes were captured in this study; including: 1) rejection of the profession and 2) fear and anxiety


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicated that the nursing students are not psychologically prepared for internship in clinical settings. Therefore we recommend in the first place reducing students' fear and anxiety of facing the reality and preparing them for a better beginning through conducting workshops in retraining and practicing clinical skills along with a course of visiting the hospital for students' confrontation and familiarization with real environment immediately before entering into the clinical setting. In addition, after the students' entrance to the setting the clinical educators should strive to heed students' level of preparedness especially their psychological needs and condition including the extent to which they accept their profession.
Associate Professor, Center for Nursing Care Research, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Arcoa Street. Burnaby BC. V5E0A8, Tehran 1405-7325, Iran. Electronic address: sjoolaee@mail.ubc.ca.
Soodabeh
S
Joolaee
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tohid Sq. East Nosrat, 1419733171 Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: jafarianamiri@gmail.com.
Seyedeh Roghayeh
SR
Jafarian Amiri
Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran. Electronic address: Farahani.ma@iums.ac.ir.
Mansoureh Ashghali
MA
Farahani
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tohid Street, East Nosrat, 1419733171 Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: shvaraei@tums.ac.ir.
Shokoh
S
Varaei
D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D002321:Career Choice; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000379:methods*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology
Clinical setting; Clinical training; Nursing student; Preparedness