Hawa Alabdulaziz1, Jonas Preposi Cruz2. 1. Faculty of Nursing, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: halabdulaziz@kau.edu.sa. 2. Nursing Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Al Dawdmi, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: cruzjpc@su.edu.sa.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While family-centered care is considered a vital part of nursing care, nursing students seem to struggle in incorporating family-centered care in the clinical setting. Several factors such as minimal exposure in family interactions throughout their clinical practice, lack of experience in organizing family-centered clinical experiences, access to restricted clinical areas, and inadequate supervision from clinical instructors present as challenges among nursing students in practicing family-centered care. OBJECTIVES: This study explored the perceptions of nursing students toward family-centered care in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: This study used the quantitative approach through the cross-sectional survey method. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in the Faculty of Nursing of a government university in Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: A total population sample comprising 232 female junior and student nurses participated in the study. METHODS: After the approval of the Ethical Board Committee had been secured, a survey containing a demographic information sheet and the Family-Centered Care Questionnaire was distributed to the students from June 2018 to February 2019. RESULTS: The overall mean of the students' responses in the questionnaire was 3.76 (SD = 0.67, range = 3.40-4.08), indicating a modest perception toward family-centered care. The dimension "family is the constant" received the most positive response from the students (M = 3.90, SD = 0.77), whereas the dimension "parent-to-parent support" was rated the lowest with a mean of 3.64 (SD = 0.89). Junior nursing students had more positive perception toward family-centered care than the seniors. Weak negative correlations were observed between students' age and family-centered care perception. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into family-centered care, which could be used in crafting policies and interventions in various health care settings and nursing education in Saudi Arabia. Such insights could foster positive perceptions toward family-centered care among student nurses and guarantee excellent family-centered care nursing practice.
BACKGROUND: While family-centered care is considered a vital part of nursing care, nursing students seem to struggle in incorporating family-centered care in the clinical setting. Several factors such as minimal exposure in family interactions throughout their clinical practice, lack of experience in organizing family-centered clinical experiences, access to restricted clinical areas, and inadequate supervision from clinical instructors present as challenges among nursing students in practicing family-centered care. OBJECTIVES: This study explored the perceptions of nursing students toward family-centered care in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: This study used the quantitative approach through the cross-sectional survey method. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in the Faculty of Nursing of a government university in Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: A total population sample comprising 232 female junior and student nurses participated in the study. METHODS: After the approval of the Ethical Board Committee had been secured, a survey containing a demographic information sheet and the Family-Centered Care Questionnaire was distributed to the students from June 2018 to February 2019. RESULTS: The overall mean of the students' responses in the questionnaire was 3.76 (SD = 0.67, range = 3.40-4.08), indicating a modest perception toward family-centered care. The dimension "family is the constant" received the most positive response from the students (M = 3.90, SD = 0.77), whereas the dimension "parent-to-parent support" was rated the lowest with a mean of 3.64 (SD = 0.89). Junior nursing students had more positive perception toward family-centered care than the seniors. Weak negative correlations were observed between students' age and family-centered care perception. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into family-centered care, which could be used in crafting policies and interventions in various health care settings and nursing education in Saudi Arabia. Such insights could foster positive perceptions toward family-centered care among student nurses and guarantee excellent family-centered care nursing practice.