Nursing Students' Experiences Related to Operating Room Practice: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of nursing students concerning operating room (OR) practice. Design: A qualitative design was used in this study. Methods: Data were collected from second-year nursing students using the semistructured interview form including open-ended questions about their OR experiences. Perspectives of phenomenological approach including existentials of lived body, lived relations, lived space, and lived time were used in data analysis. Findings: The study data regarding experiences of nursing students concerning OR practice were organized under three themes, namely, "OR environment," "emotions," and "career plans after graduation." Nine subthemes emerged: educational experience, teamwork, and communication, excitement, enjoyment, anxiety, fear, different emotions, working as a surgical nurse, and working in departments other than OR. Conclusions: In clinical environments, student nurses should be supported by staff and instructors to facilitate learning and create meaningful learning experiences. (c) 2020 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.