FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENT NURSES LEARNING IN COMMUNITY PLACEMENTS - APHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

The study aimed to explore the question, what actors affect student nu rse learning in a community setting? A phenomenological approach was t aken by carrying out in-depth interviews with eight Project 2000 stude nts who had just completed 8 weeks of community placements. The factor s which emerged centred around three themes: the students themselves, the mentors and the placements. Students recognized that their own app roach to the placement was important. They found that the role they fu lfilled in the placements affected their learning, preferring a partic ipative role to observation only. The role of the mentor was found to be crucial for learning. Important factors were the mentors' knowledge and attitude towards the Project 2000 course and their professionalis m (particularly communication skills), as perceived by the students. A lso significant were the mentors' skills at facilitating learning in t he placements, by encouraging questions and reflection, and organizing a variety of experiences. Factors relating to the placements concerne d their relevance to the course (as perceived by the students) and the breadth of experience available. Whilst this was a small sample, from which no generalizations can be made, the study gives insight into st udents, teachers and community staff of the experience of learning in the community setting.