Effective Education: Perceptions and Experiences of Nursing Students

The world’s advanced educational systems continuously revise their objectives and activities to develop effective education. Reaching an effective nursing education can develop the students’ competency which in turn leads to provision of a more accurate and ideal care for patients in the real world. The aim of this study was to determine the nursing students’ perceptions and experiences regarding features of effective education (both theoretical and clinical). This qualitative study was carried out on 26 nursing students at Jondishapoor University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. The data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. After written consents, the interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data was analyzed through an inductive approach of content analysis. In order to support the validity and rigor of the data, different criteria such as acceptability, confirmability and transferability were utilized. Three main themes were found as the factors involved in the effectiveness of education: 1) Teacher’s level of competency and expertise, 2)Development of students’ competency, proficiency, and professional skill; and 3) Effective and valid evaluation. The participants believed these are the key factors to the development of capability among nursing students and enables them to provide more effective health care. Due to the existing weakness of teachers’ professional skill and their less-effective methods of teaching and evaluation, nursing students regard themselves as nurses who are not proficient and competent enough to take care of the patients. Consequently, in order to have a comprehensive and more effective nurse training programs, it is recommended that nursing teachers and planners utilize the students’ experiences and opinions when revising the present pedagogical programs.