Changes in Undergraduate Nursing Students' Sustainability Attitudes Following Sustainability‐Embedded Fundamental Care Skills Education: A One‐Group Mixed‐Method Study
Nagihan İlaslan, Ayşe DemirayABSTRACT
Aim
The aim of study was to reveal the changes in undergraduate nursing students' sustainability attitudes following sustainability‐embedded fundamental care skills education, and to determine satisfaction and self‐confidence levels in the learning of nursing students.
Background
There is consensus that sustainability needs to be integrated into the health sciences education curriculum. Teaching techniques not increasing the content burden and compatible with the existing curriculum are pivotal.
Method
In this one‐group pre‐post test mixed‐method design study, the sustainability‐embedded fundamental care skills education (following the narrative‐based lectures, via simulations in laboratory and peer‐supported demonstrations in clinic) was developed and implemented over 1 semester ( n = 39) as a faculty‐led intervention. Data were collected using the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey, Satisfaction and Self‐confidence in Learning Scale and SWOT Anaylsis Form. Analyses included descriptive statistics, t‐tests, ANOVA, and content analysis.
Results
The students' sustainability attitude significantly increased, and learning satisfaction and self‐confidence levels were 4.40 ± 0.46 and 4.01 ± 0.52, respectively. When examining the percentages calculated based on the total number of coded responses within SWOT components, the strengths of the intervention most frequently mentioned by students included facilitating adaptation to the clinical setting (31.82%), ensuring acquisition of psychomotor skills (27.27%) and raising awareness of sustainability in care practices (23.64%).
Conclusion
Sustainability content can be taught alongside psychomotor skills starting at the first‐year undergraduate nursing education. The student‐centred teaching approaches that support social learning and learning‐by‐doing experiences should be used in the integration of sustainability content into nursing education.
Implications for the Profession
Enriching the theoretical and simulation‐based laboratory instruction and clinical teaching processes of nursing education with sustainability content enhanced nursing students' attitudes towards sustainability. Nurse educators and administrators of nursing education institutions may draw on this study's results when adjusting curricula and teaching techniques for integrating sustainability content.
Impact
The educational innovation, integrating sustainability content simultaneously into theoretical, laboratory and clinical teaching processes, is compatible with the current curriculum and can enable students to gain a sustainable care attitude in nursing.
Reporting Method
Reported in accordance with the Good Reporting of A Mixed Methods Study (GRAMMS) checklist.
No Patient or Public Contribution
As this study involved an educational intervention, it did not include the participation of patients or the public during the design, implementation and reporting.