Aim: To explore the undergraduate nursing student’s experience of placement in the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres in South-Western Sydney. Design: Observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Undergraduate nursing students who undertook clinical placements in the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres in a major Sydney Local Health District were invited to participate in the study. Data was collected via surveys containing placement evaluation tool—19-items (rated on a 5-point agreement scale) and one global satisfaction rating (a 10-point scale). The survey also included three open-ended questions regarding positive and negative impacts of the placement in the Vaccination Centres. Quantitative data from the surveys were analysed descriptively using SPSS software. The responses to the open-ended question were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Results: A total of fifty-two undergraduate nursing students responded to the survey. A variation in the overall satisfaction with the placement was observed among students. Only 44% scored their experience above 5 (10-point scale). Data obtained from the open-ended survey questions reflect the following themes: learning experience, challenges, potential opportunities for clinical practice and suggestions for improvement. Some of the suggestions for improvement to future placements were more in-service training, rotation through different tasks and advertising the sort of skills that students will be offered to learn during placement. Conclusions: The study outcome provides an insight into the undergraduate nursing student’s placement experience in the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres and highlights the areas for improvement to further enhance the student’s placement experience when serving at the Vaccination Centres. Implications for the profession and/or patient care: This study provides insight into the undergraduate nursing student’s placement experience in the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres. The findings of this study will assist in improving the nursing students’ experience when working in similar settings by making appropriate modifications to the processes and procedures. Impact: Clinical placement is an essential requirement for nursing students’ professional development and COVID-19 pandemic is reported to have a noticeable impact on their placement experience. There is limited information on the undergraduate nursing student’s placement experience in the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres. This study was designed to
References
[1]
Abuosi, A. A., Kwadan, A. N., Anaba, E. A., Daniels, A. A., & Dzansi, G. (2022). Number of Students in Clinical Placement and the Quality of the Clinical Learning Environment: A Cross-Sectional Study of Nursing and Midwifery Students. Nurse Education Today, 108, Article ID: 105168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105168
[2]
Aghaei, N., Babamohamadi, H., Asgari, M. R., & Dehghan-Nayeri, N. (2021). Barriers to and Facilitators of Nursing Students’ Adjustment to Internship: A Qualitative Content Analysis. Nurse Education Today, 99, Article ID: 104825. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104825
[3]
Alshahrani, Y., Cusack, L., & Rasmussen, P. (2018). Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Strategies for Coping with Their First Clinical Placement: Descriptive Survey Study. Nurse Education Today, 69, 104-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2018.07.005
[4]
Atakro, C. A., Armah, E., Menlah, A., Garti, I., Addo, S. B., Adatara, P. et al. (2019). Clinical Placement Experiences by Undergraduate Nursing Students in Selected Teaching Hospitals in Ghana. BMC Nursing, 18, Article No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-018-0325-8
[5]
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (AGDHA) (2023). COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Update—28 April 2023. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-04/COVID-19-vaccine-rollout-update-28-april-2023.pdf
[6]
Barisone, M., Ghirotto, L., Busca, E., Diaz Crescitelli, M. E., Casalino, M., Chilin, G. et al. (2022). Nursing Students’ Clinical Placement Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study. Nurse Education in Practice, 59, Article ID: 103297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103297
[7]
Birks, M., Bagley, T., Park, T., Burkot, C., & Mills, J. (2017). The Impact of Clinical Placement Model on Learning in Nursing: A Descriptive Exploratory Study. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34, 16-23. https://doi.org/10.37464/2017.343.1521
[8]
Bøe, S. V., & Debesay, J. (2021). The Learning Environment of Student Nurses during Clinical Placement: A Qualitative Case Study of a Student-Dense Ward. SAGE Open Nursing, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608211052357
[9]
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
[10]
Cant, R., Ryan, C., Hughes, L., Luders, E., & Cooper, S. (2021). What Helps, What Hinders? Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Clinical Placements Based on a Thematic Synthesis of Literature. SAGE Open Nursing, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608211035845
[11]
Carey, S. K., & Kies, J. M. (2022). Unexpected Learning Opportunities for Nursing Students. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 122, 44-47. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.naj.0000815428.23462.37
[12]
Cooper, S., Cant, R., Waters, D., Luders, E., Henderson, A., Willetts, G. et al. (2020). Measuring the Quality of Nursing Clinical Placements and the Development of the Placement Evaluation Tool (PET) in a Mixed Methods Co-Design Project. BMC Nursing, 19, Article No. 101. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00491-1
[13]
Courtney-Pratt, H., FitzGerald, M., Ford, K., Marsden, K., & Marlow, A. (2012). Quality Clinical Placements for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Undergraduates and Supervising Nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68, 1380-1390. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05851.x
[14]
Cushen-Brewster, N., Barker, A., Driscoll-Evans, P., Wigens, L., & Langton, H. (2021). The Experiences of Adult Nursing Students Completing a Placement during the COVID-19 Pandemic. British Journal of Nursing, 30, 1250-1255. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.21.1250
[15]
Gill Meeley, N. (2021). Undergraduate Student Nurses’ Experiences of Their Community Placements. Nurse Education Today, 106, Article ID: 105054. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105054
[16]
Handzel, S. (2022). COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics Provide Unexpected Learning Opportunities for Students. HEALTH. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/COVID-19-vaccination-clinics-provide-unexpected-learning-opportunities-for-students
[17]
Jansson, I., & Ene, K. W. (2016). Nursing Students’ Evaluation of Quality Indicators during Learning in Clinical Practice. Nurse Education in Practice, 20, 17-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2016.06.002
[18]
Joy, S., Rumsey, K., & Ford, M. (2022). COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics: Meeting Clinical Hours and Improving Nursing Students’ Skills. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 17, 306-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2022.02.006
[19]
LeClair, J., & Zahner, S. J. (2023). Evaluation of a Multischool Collaborative COVID-19 Vaccination Project. Public Health Nursing, 40, 54-62. https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.13126
[20]
Luders, E., Cooper, S., Cant, R., Waters, D., Tower, M., Henderson, A. et al. (2021). Nursing Degree Students’ Clinical Placement Experiences in Australia: A Survey Design. Nurse Education in Practice, 54, Article ID: 103112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103112
[21]
Rasmussen, B., Hutchinson, A., Lowe, G., Wynter, K., Redley, B., Holton, S. et al. (2022). The Impact of COVID-19 on Psychosocial Well-Being and Learning for Australian Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Nurse Education in Practice, 58, Article ID: 103275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103275
[22]
Rojo, J., Everett, B., Ramjan, L. M., Hunt, L., & Salamonson, Y. (2020). Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions as the Explanatory Framework for Performance Issues during Clinical Placement: A Mixed Methods Study. Nurse Education Today, 94, Article ID: 104581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104581
[23]
Sherratt, L. et al. (2022). Student Placements in a COVID-19 Testing Site and Vaccination Hub. Nursing Times [Online], 118, 3.
[24]
Sweet, L., & Broadbent, J. (2017). Nursing Students’ Perceptions of the Qualities of a Clinical Facilitator That Enhance Learning. Nurse Education in Practice, 22, 30-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2016.11.007
[25]
Thornton, M., Jones, L., Jones, R., & Lusardi, G. (2022). If the Public Can Vaccinate, Why Not Students? Review of a Student Nurse Placement in a Mass Vaccination Centre. British Journal of Nursing, 31, 386-392. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2022.31.7.386
[26]
Usher AM, K., Jackson, D., Massey, D., Wynaden, D., Grant, J., West, C. et al. (2023). The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 on Pre-Registration Nursing Students in Australia: Findings from a National Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79, 581-592. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15478
[27]
Villa, G., Galli, E., Allieri, S., Baldrighi, R., Brunetti, A., Giannetta, N. et al. (2022). Frontline Involvement in Population COVID-19 Vaccinations: Lived Experience of Nursing Students. Healthcare, 10, Article No. 1985. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10101985
[28]
Wynter, K., Redley, B., Holton, S., Manias, E., McDonall, J., McTier, L. et al. (2021). Depression, Anxiety and Stress among Australian Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 18, Article ID: 20210060. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2021-0060
