Undergraduate student nurses' lived experiences of anxiety during their first clinical practicum: A phenomenological study

• Facing the uncertainty of the unknown was identified as the main cause of student nurses' anxiety.
• Student nurses anxiety gradually increased before entering their clinical practicum.
• Student nurses' anxiety was exacerbated during the practicum.
• Student nurses' anxiety was relieved after completion of the practicum.
• Self-reflection was found to increase the student nurses' ability and cope with and consequently reduce their anxiety.

SummaryBackgroundThe Fundamental Nursing clinical practicum is an essential module for nursing students. Some feel stress or anxiety about attending this first placement; however, evidence demonstrates that it is rare to explore the feelings of anxiety felt by the nursing students concerning their first clinical practicum.ObjectiveThis study was designed to explore student nurses' experiences of anxiety felt regarding their initial clinical practicum while studying for their University degree.DesignA phenomenological approach was used.SettingsA university in Southern Taiwan.ParticipantsA purposive sampling of fifteen student nurses with anxiety reactions who had completed their first clinical practicum.MethodsData were collected using a semi-structured guide and deep interview. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological method.ResultsThree themes surfaced in the findings. The first theme was anxiety around their first clinical practicum, which stirred up anxiety about: self-doubt, worry and fear; difficulty coping with the learning process; worry hampered establishing therapeutic relationships with patients; the progress of the patients' illness could not be predicted; and anxiety felt about lecturer-student interactions. The second theme was three phases of anxiety reactions, which included increasing anxiety before clinical practicum; exacerbated anxiety during clinical practicum, and relief of anxiety after clinical practicum. The third theme was coping behaviors. This comprised: self-reflection in preparation for clinical practicum; finding ways to release emotions; distractions from the anxiety; and, also facing their difficulties head-on.ConclusionThe findings could help raise the awareness of lecturers and students by understanding student nurses' anxiety experiences and facilitating a healthy preparation for their initial clinical practicum, consequently proactively helping reduce potential anxiety experiences.