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Final year nursing students’ self-reported understanding of the relevance of bioscience

“This is the first reported study from SA on final year preregistration student nurses‟ self-reported depth of understanding of bioscience subjects and of their perceptions of the relevance of bioscience knowledge to their practice” (Rafferty, Kyriacos, 2016:43).

Abstract
Student nurses’ competence in applying bioscience to practice is under-researched in South Africa. This paper reports on two objectives of a longer study: (1) to describe final year nursing students’ self-reported depth of understanding of six bioscience subjects; and (2) their perceptions of the relevance of the bioscience subjects to their practice using descriptions of personal critical incidents and picture interpretations of three nursing activities. A descriptive observational survey was employed using a self-administered questionnaire at a one-time point in a classroom in a nursing college in Cape Town, South Africa in 2013. A sample of 76/236 (32.2%) fourth-year students participated. Results showed that the majority of responses (n=252/456, 55.3%) across six subjects indicated self-reported adequate understanding of bioscience, but deep understanding for anatomy (n=35, 46.1%), physiology (n=32, 42.1%) and pharmacology (n=30, 39.5%). Respondents self-rated their understanding of biophysics, biochemistry and microbiology as superficial (n=31, 40.8%; n=32, 42.1%; n=16, 21.1%) respectively. Most respondents considered anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology to be relevant for practice and microbiology to some extent but not biophysics and biochemistry. Most respondents (23/56, 41.1%) descriptions of their interventions in clinical situations aligned with Akinsanya’s Bionursing Model-level two (task-specific) and none at task level four (personal and professional development). The mismatch between self-reported adequate knowledge and a task approach to practice may be ameliorated by a practice model to guide an undergraduate biosciences curriculum.

To read the article please click here.

Cite as: Rafferty, B. and Kyriacos, U. 2016. Final-year nursing students self-reported understanding of the relevance of bioscience. International Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 8(5):35-46.

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