Nurses Perception Regarding Students Contribution in Patient Care at Teaching Hospital

Nursing is a practice discipline and requires skill development, students are placed in clinical settings to collaborate with professional nurses to provide patient care. Students contribute to the personal and professional satisfaction of the staff by offering opportunities for mentoring and reciprocal learning and allowing nurses to participate in students' professional development. Students also contribute to patient care. The purpose of the study was to assess the nurses? perception regarding student contribution in patient care. Methodology Cross sectional descriptive survey design was used. The study comprised of 136 samples and convenient sampling technique was used for data collection.5 point rating scale with 25 items was utilized to collect data from nurses. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics by using licensed copy of statistical package SPSS 20 version. RESULTS- Majority of the samples 96 (70.6%) were in the age group of 20 to 30 years, the mean score for age was 31.02 and standard deviation of 11.62. With regard to years of experience, majority of the samples 85 (62.5 %) had more than 11 years experience. The mean score for experience was 1.62 and standard deviation of 0.48. Majority of the samples 114 (83.8 %) were female and 77 (56.6%) had education up to Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery, while Majority of samples 87 (64%) were on contract basis majority 45 (33.1%) were from medical surgical department. There was significant association between variable qualification degree and Student participation challenges staff to remain proficient, Student participation becomes a source for recruitment. Similarly there was significant correlation between variable employment status and problematic students can be frustrating. There was significant correlation between variable position and Students are able to assist with patient care, Student participation becomes a source for recruitment. Similarly there was significant correlation between variable clinical area and Student participation enhances the clinical setting as a learning environment, Problematic students can be frustrating, Students provide comprehensive care, Working with students stimulates staff intellectually, Student participation challenges staff to remain proficient, Working with students aids in the development and refinement of staff's skills, Student participation becomes a source for recruitment, Students do not appreciate support of staff nurses, Students are not received well by patients, Working with students threatens professional role development, Assistive personnel are threatened by students, Student participation makes staff insecure about their knowledge and skills. There was significant correlation between variable years of experience and Students are able to assist with patient care, Students interact with patients and families, working with students stimulate staff intellectually. CONCLUSION- Overall, nurses had positive perceptions of nursing students in clinical contribution towards patient care the increased demands on time and increased workload, nurse leaders in clinical and academic institutions can enhance the nurse's experience. Clinical practice supervisors, who emphasize this perception of enhanced professional development and support Nurses volunteering to work with students could reinforce and spread the positive perceptions among staff members.