Thursday, 04 April 2024
A new study has found that nursing students’ compassion is not increased by previous paid care experience, which discredits the idea that they should have care experience before embarking on training.
In the new study, published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies, experts from the University of Nottingham found that there were no significant differences between participants with and without paid prior care experience in relation to caring and compassionate values and behaviours.
The research was led by Professor Joanne Lymn in the School of Health Sciences at the University, commissioned by the Department of Health and was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care; National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Professor Joanne Lymn
Professor Lymn said: “‘This longitudinal study showed that paid prior care experience did not offer any long-term benefits in relation to developing nursing students’ caring and compassionate behaviours. Positive and negative impacts of prior care experience were identified but the positive impacts did not extend to qualification. The data do not support mandating a period of paid care experience prior to commencing nursing training."
Compassion is critical to the provision of high-quality healthcare and is highlighted internationally as an issue of concern. Paid care experience prior to nurse training has been suggested as a potential means of improving compassion, which has been characterised by the values and behaviours of care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.
However, there is a lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of prior care experience as a means of improving compassion in nursing.
A group of experts, led by colleagues from the School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham, wanted to further explore the issue with this new study. Participants were pre-registration nursing students and people who had previously taken part in a Health Education England paid prior care experience pilot. The research used a mixed methods design - 220 people completed questionnaires, 10 people had phone interviews and 8 were involved in focus groups.
The questionnaires measured emotional intelligence, compassion satisfaction and fatigue, resilience, psychological empowerment and career commitment.
The findings of the study suggest that prior care experience has both positive and negative effects on students’ compassionate values and behaviours, however positive effects don’t extend to qualification. No statistically significant differences were found in any of the quantitative outcome measures between participants with and without paid prior care experience.
A statistically significant increase in compassion fatigue was identified in both groups of participants post-qualification. Paid prior care experience did not prevent participants from experiencing reality shock on becoming a student or on qualification.
This is good news in the current climate where we need to encourage more students into the nursing profession.”
The full study can be found here.
Story credits
More information is available from Sarah Fields-Richards in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham at sarah.fieldrichards@nottingham.ac.uk
The NIHR
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
- Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
- Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
- Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
- Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
- Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
- Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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