Finessing incivility: Socialisation experiences of student nurses


This paper by Thomas et al (2015) is a grounded theory approach to explore the impact of the first clinical placement on the professional socialisation of undergraduate students into the profession of nursing. Student nurses were recruited and daily diaries were completed by participants during a 30 day work integrated learning experience in a hospital setting in the United Kingdom.

This paper reports on the findings of a doctoral thesis  and the elicitation of the stages and properties of status dislocation; status negotiation and status relocation. Status dislocation related to disillusionment with the role due to disappointment with the reality of the clinical environment, including incidents of intentional or unintentional professional incivility such as a lack of welcoming, belongingness or lack of guidance due to resourcing issues, lack of allocation or illness of their preceptor. Status negotiation of learning needs was achieved through the auspices of significant others.  Students found ways to augment their learning through aligning with someone who could guide and nurture them  the authors provide examples of others students, allied health professionals or staff.  Status relocation occurs when students attempt to maintain their student status, but understand the reality of practice.  They move between worker and learner whilst holding onto their values and being benevolent to others.

The authors discuss the findings and indicate that the maintaining of values was one of the properties of the concept of status relocation. Students tried to practice the way they had been taught at University.  Often this was in the face of cynicism and belittling behaviour displayed by some of the clinical staff.  It was noticed that students in this study were not de-sensitised to aspects of the caring role of nurses, mentioned  in the previous blog, is an issue met by student nurses that impacts on their professional identity.  It is also cause for concern that students meet this behaviour early in their career.  On a positive note the authors also report that the students in this study showed resilience and finesse which is reassuring. The authors conclude that incivility needs to be addressed to ensure recruitment and retention of nurses and prevent unnecessary attrition of students from nursing programmes.

If you have any comments about incivility, you are welcome to post them here.  Please join us @PEPCommuunity.

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