Caring is a core value of nursing. Our BSN curriculum incorporates concepts from caring science, emphasizing the work of Jean Watson (2008) and Marilyn Ray (Coffman, 2010). Concepts such as healing presence, transpersonal relationships, intentionality, and mindfulness are included by faculty teaching both clinical and didactic components. Program outcomes include a focus on students’ development of caring. How nursing students develop caring in their educational program continues to be studied by researchers (Landers, Weathers, McCarthy, & Fitzpatrick, 2014; Williams & Burke, 2015) and students’ perceptions of caring are documented in the literature (Labrague et al., 2015). This study contributes to the general knowledge base on caring in nursing education and provides relevant feedback for faculty regarding our own program development.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the descriptive study is to explore how nursing students in a caring-based BSN program develop their beliefs about caring in the nursing profession and perceptions of themselves as caring persons. Specific research questions and study variables include:
Question 1. What is the meaning of caring to students, and how does this change across the nursing program?
Question 2. How do students perceive that caring is enhanced or illuminated by the classroom and practice experiences in the BSN program?
Question 3. How do students’ beliefs about caring in the nursing profession change as they progress in the BSN program?
Question 4. How do students’ perceptions of themselves as caring persons change as they progress through the BSN program?
Question 5. How do students’ perceptions about the environment created by nursing faculty relate to their beliefs about caring in the
profession and themselves as caring persons?
Question 6. How do students’ perceptions about the peer group environment relate to their beliefs about caring in the profession and themselves
as caring persons?
Study Methods
Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used in the study. Two open-ended questions and four published instruments are administered to students. Quantitative instruments include the Caring Behaviors Inventory, Caring Efficacy Scale, Organizational Climate for Caring Questionnaire, and Peer Group Caring Interaction Scale. These are established instruments that have been shown to have good reliability. Qualitative data analysis will utilize content analysis and appropriate statistical tests will be used for quantitative data.
Five cohorts of students have been enrolled in the study and data collection is in progress across five points in time as students progress in the academic program. All data collection takes place in a classroom after a class session has ended. The study has been approved by the college institutional review board.
Discussion and Implications
Study findings will provide insight for faculty teaching in our caring-based curriculum, and will contribute to the body of knowledge on caring in nursing education. Faculty will learn how students’ perceptions of caring change across time, and how environmental factors influence these perceptions. Ultimately, findings will help verify whether nursing program outcomes are met, focusing on students’ development of themselves as caring persons.