Learning outcomes and opinions of 4th year students towards the comprehensive practice course: A study in the Bachelor of Nursing Science Curriculum of Khon Kaen University

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to studied the perceived learning outcomes and opinions of 4th year bachelor of nursing students, Faculty of Nursing, Khon Kaen University after completion of the nursing comprehensive practice course. The study population was 214 bachelor's degree nursing students, who were in 4^th year and practiced in the nursing comprehensive practice course in the final semester of the academic year 2021. Data were collected from April to May 2022. In this research, data were collected from 173 people, accounting for 80.84% of the total target population. Instruments for data collection were the perceived learning outcomes questionnaire of 4th year nursing students and the opinion towards teaching and learning of the comprehensive practice course assessment form. These instruments were verified by three experts. Reliability test of the instrument obtained Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.968. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics.

The results revealed that after the end of the teaching in the nursing comprehensive practice course, 4^th year nursing students had overall learning outcomes at a high level (=4.28, s.d.=0.41). Considering each aspect, it was found that there were two aspects at the highest level: morality and ethics (=4.59, s.d.=0.47) and professional practice skills (=4.58, s.d.=0.57). Four aspects were ranked at high levels: interpersonal relationship and responsibility (=4.31, s.d.=0.49) intellectual skills (=4.14, s.d.=0.47) numerical analysis, communicative, and information technology utilization skills (=4.04, s.d.=0.50) and knowledge ( =4.00, s.d.=0.49). 2) the students expressed opinions that the comprehensive nursing practice course provided professional experience in addition to studying in the classroom. The course enabled them to apply knowledge from theory to practice, building confidence in the actual performance. The results of this study can be used as a basis for nursing instructors in provision of nursing practicum course in a more effective approach, to assist nursing students to go through life experiences in practical training properly.