Exploring the Writing Perceptions of Former Baccalaureate Nursing Students

A student’s ability to learn how to communicate through writing is crucial in nursing, and, furthermore, it is important that students understand how to write effectively in the discipline of nursing in order to properly document patient care, create or revise policies, design educational materials, and/or publish guidelines or research. Nursing faculty often find students ill-prepared to write clearly and effectively. While the writings on students’ academic performance in a nursing program are considerable, the literature on their perceptions of writing in the program is limited. Perception relates to the students’ opinions on the topic based on their experiences or prior knowledge. This study explored former students’ perceptions of writing in the discipline of nursing and their experiences writing in nursing practice upon graduation.

 The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore baccalaureate students’ perceptions of writing in the discipline of nursing. The study also explored baccalaureate nursing graduates’ experiences with writing as practicing nurses. Furthermore, the study examined the influence of nursing curriculum and nursing instruction on students’ perceptions of writing. The phenomenon being studied was the writing experiences of nursing graduates of a university on the Eastern Shore of Maryland who are currently in nursing practice. After data were collected by way of questionnaires, focus groups, and open-ended questions, and transcribed and analyzed, five themes emerged from the findings: preparedness, prioritization, support, expectations, and functionality. These themes were supported and, at times, contradicted by the literature applicable to this topic. Additionally, these themes were guided and supported by the conceptual framework of the study, which contained the three theories: adult learning theory, transformational learning theory, and self-perception theory. The findings of this study hold implications for both nursing education and nursing practice. Lastly, future studies related to this topic should be generated based upon the limitations of this study and areas for further research.

In conclusion, the findings of this study may offer support to instructors in nursing by offering them some insight into the students’ perceptions of writing in order to address them properly. Certain perceptions may alter students’ academic performance in practicing nursing and affect the ways in which instructors need to teach. As this study and the literature suggests, written communication skills are important for nursing practice, and, through researching the lived writing experiences of these participants, more light has been shed on the role writing plays in the discipline of nursing as well as the perceptions of those holding the pen.