Potential and challenges for learning during acute medical/surgical placement for intellectual disability, mental health and midwifery students.

In Ireland nursing and midwifery degree programmes involve four pathways to registration. Three of which, intellectual disability and mental health nursing and midwifery require students to undertake acute medical/surgical placements offering learning opportunities caring for patients with complex needs in settings beyond their core discipline. This paper focuses on findings from a descriptive qualitative study exploring intellectual disability and mental health nursing and midwifery students experiences of such placements. Data analysis identified three themes: Getting ready, Navigating the way and Getting through. Feelings of stress and uncertainty are described by participants when moving from familiarity within a chosen discipline to an unfamiliar environment. Findings have influenced specific placement structures with local health service partners. While our study focuses on an Irish context, findings have relevance for student education in other jurisdictions. Enhancing preparation and support for students undertaking unfamiliar placements needs to be a constant endeavour. Such foundations will foster valuable experiences where students can feel part of a team, gain confidence, enhance skills and transfer meaningful learning to their core practice discipline. Further research is needed to explore the views of preceptors, ward managers and Clinical Placement Coordinators.

Lecturers' experiences of facilitating guided group reflection with pre-registration BSc Nursing students.

The development of reflective practitioners is integral to undergraduate nursing degree programmes. This study reports on lecturers' experiences of facilitating guided group reflection with pre-registration BSc Nursing students.The research purposively sampled lecturers (n=7) working in a department of nursing and midwifery at a third level institute in Ireland, all of whom were registered nurses. Using a qualitative research approach, data was collected through audio-taped semi-structured individual interviews. The data were thematically analysed using guidelines developed by Braun and Clarke (2006). Tripartite researcher discussion and further analysis of these initial individual analyses led to consensus regarding the three themes arising from the study. These were: Being a facilitator; Facilitating reflective learning and Creating structure. The discussion centred on: having knowledge and experience to effectively facilitate guided group reflection; the influence of the facilitator's personal philosophy on reflection and adult learning on group facilitation; and finally concerns regarding professional responsibility in response to students' reflective practice accounts.