Experience in developing innovative practical ability for Master of Nursing Specialist degree program in China: A qualitative descriptive study of postgraduates.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nursing talent training should be adjusted in accordance with policies and regulations, the priority areas of health care, the development of nursing disciplines, and changes in nurses' roles. Experience from nursing education stakeholders indicates that postgraduate education faces numerous challenges. Thus, it is necessary to discuss postgraduates' experience in cultivating innovative practical ability. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the experiences of nursing specialist postgraduates in cultivating innovative practical ability to provide a reference for further improvement of the Master of Nursing Specialist program. DESIGN: A qualitative study. SETTING: A university and its three affiliated tertiary hospitals in H city, China. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with 12 postgraduates currently in clinical practice and six postgraduate nurses within two years of graduation between April and June 2022. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and the data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method. RESULTS: Three key themes emerged (1) the cognition of innovative practical ability; (2) the experience of cultivating innovative practical ability at school; and (3) the experience of cultivating innovative practical ability in the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: With a full understanding of the training experience of postgraduates' innovative practical ability, policymakers and training units can clarify the shortcomings of the training model, make targeted improvements, and work together to build a more scientific and complete MNS training model. Our findings have the potential to inform faculty structure, catalyze curriculum reform, optimize clinical practice to facilitate the development of Master of Nursing Specialist programs, improve the quality of care, and promote patient recovery.