Integration of research and nursing experiential learning: a case study

Abstract

Teaching research to undergraduates has its own challenges and involving undergraduates in research practical experience is just one of those challenges. As nursing students are in the process of becoming professional nurses, knowledge and skills in research are specific outcomes of the curriculum. One of the outcomes of the B Tech Nursing Science programme offered by the Tshwane University of Technology states that for the baccalaurcate nursing programme include analysis, interpretation and utilisation of a range of research findings in scientific nursing and midwifery care as well as the development of a research protocol in a given context. In an effort to ensure that students would experience research as an essential part of their daily activities, an integrated approach is suggested whereby the nursing experiential learning opportunities are also research experiential learning opportunities. Using the integration strategy, research theory come ‘alive’ for the students. The integration approach is uncomplicated and transferable to any other discipline. The case study presented is the second year nursing students using school nursing experiential learning as a research project. The second year nursing students have a community focus during their second year and one of the experiential learning opportunities is school health nursing in a primary school in Tshwane. The results of the school health survey are presented. The students developed a health education intervention based on the research results.