Experiences of nursing students during pre-professional internships

Abstract

Introduction. Preprofessional practice is essential for nursing students, as it allows them to apply their theoretical knowledge in real situations. However, this transitional period can affect students' training and future professional performance. Objective. The study seeks to explore the experiences of nursing students at the State University of Bolivar during their pre-professional internships in the period December 2022-April 2023, using a phenomenological perspective. Methodology. The study used a qualitative phenomenological methodology to understand the experiences of nursing students during pre-professional internships. In-depth interviews were conducted following a guide of open-ended questions with students who met the established criteria. The information was analyzed using Atlas its software to identify relevant categories and subcategories. Results: as a result, after the analysis of ten primary documents, three core categories were generated; experience and importance, interactions with patients and health team and academic aspects, from which twelve subcategories, four analysis networks and 120 quotes were generated by means of the hermeneutic unit created using atlas its software. Conclusion: nursing students value pre-professional internships for the acquisition of practical skills and confidence in their professional performance, and despite intrahospital violence, they learned the importance of humanized care and demonstrated the ability to provide quality care. It is recommended to reinforce the preparation in specific areas and to promote humanized care, and the good accompaniment of the academic tutors is highlighted. Area of study: nursing, higher education.