Perceived caring attributes and priorities of pre-registration nursing students throughout a nursing curriculum underpinned by person-centredness

Abstract

Aim This paper explores pre-registration nursing students' caring attributes development through a person-centred focused curriculum.

Background Developing caring attributes in student nurses to the point of registration has historically been challenging. Globally, curricula have not yet demonstrated the ability to sustain and develop caring attributes in this population, despite its centrality to practice.

Design and Methods This longitudinal cohort study tracked how university pre-registration nursing students (N = 212) developed their caring attributes over the three years of their programme using repeated measures at the end of each year with the same cohort. The Caring Dimensions Inventory (35 item version with 25 caring items under three constructs (technical, intimacy and supporting) and 10 inappropriate or unnecessary construct items) was used and data analysed using Mokken Scaling Analysis to create a hierarchy of actions that students deemed as caring. Repeated measures of analysis of variance enabled evaluation of changes in responses over time.

Results Students developed their caring attributes throughout their programme, ranking 22 out of 25 as caring (with statistical significance) at the end of year one, 18 at the end of year two and all 25 caring items at the end of their final year. No unnecessary or inappropriate construct items were ranked as caring at any data collection point. Participants consistently ranked assisting a person with an activity of living, listening to a patient, and involving them in their care as the most caring actions.

Conclusion This study found caring attributes can not only be sustained, but can also be developed throughout a preregistration nursing education programme grounded in person‐centredness.