Student Nurses' Experiences of Critical Events in the Clinical Setting: A Grounded Theory

Background: Nursing students often experience critical events in the clinical setting and clinical instructors may not be prepared to adequately support them. These students often feel alone and abandoned, increasing their risk of psychological distress. Purpose: A grounded theory study was conducted to explore pre-licensure nursing students' experiences of critical events in the clinical setting. Specific attention was paid to understanding how they are prepared for and supported before, during, and after critical events, and their experiences of psychological distress and psychological recovery. Method: Strauss and Corbin's Grounded Theory methodology was used for this study. Results: Fourteen undergraduate student nurses from universities in the western United States were interviewed. Ten concepts were identified, and a theory of Student Nurses' Experiences of Critical Events in the Clinical Setting emerged. Conclusion: Findings indicate that student nurses need active instructor and/or staff support during critical events, and pre-briefing whenever possible. Debriefing positively affected students' post-event stress response and lack of debrief was associated with post-event psychological distress. Support for students exposed to critical events during clinical experiences should continue in the days, weeks, and months following the event; clinical instructors need to be prepared to provide this support. All faculty members should monitor students for signs of psychological distress and better support students' mental health and emotional wellbeing.