Care experience ‘not key to nursing’

By The Press Association8th December 2014News ScotlandMidwifery, News Scotland, Nursing / Midwifery, Workforce

Previous caring experience does not make students better nurses, a new study suggests.

Researchers said nursing students with care experience are less likely to perform better academically and clinically than those who have none.

The study found that of the number of trainees who had withdrawn from their course, nearly 60% had previous caring experience.

The University of Edinburgh team looked at the criteria for selecting nursing students, with results suggesting that high emotional intelligence did not mean they performed better with their studies.

Almost 900 nursing and midwifery students from the University of the West of Scotland and Edinburgh Napier University were assessed by researchers tracking performance and emotional intelligence – the ability to recognise your own and other people’s feelings and act accordingly.

They found that performance improved with age and that female trainees scored significantly better.

The team said their findings came after the 2013 Francis Report into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust which recommended an emphasis on creating a more compassionate and empathetic culture in nursing.

As a result, aspiring nurses in England could potentially be required to spend a placement year as a carer before undertaking their training, they said.

Lead researcher Rosie Stenhouse, lecturer in nursing studies at the University of Edinburgh, said: “The research should sound a note of caution to such pilot schemes. They are potentially expensive, politically motivated and not backed up by evidence.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “Sir Robert Francis recommended that student nurses have more hands-on caring experience and we make no apology for piloting a new approach.

“We will look at the results and other evidence to help ensure patients get the best possible care – because one of the central lessons of Mid Staffs was that compassionate values are vital alongside clinical and academic skill.”