Obtaining Patient Information and Anxiety in Novice Nursing Students During the First Clinical Rotation

Background: Gathering comprehensive patient information at the beginning of the shift is essential for effective nursing practice. Novice nursing students (NSs) feel highly anxious, and obtaining patient information is a challenge. There is limited knowledge regarding the ability of novice NSs to gather essential patient information from the previous shift. This study was conducted to assess the anxiety levels of novice NSs and the types of patient information obtained by them and sources that NSs utilized when they obtained patient information. Methods: The anxiety levels of NSs were compared between the beginning, midpoint and the end of the first clinical rotation. The patient information items that NSs obtained and the sources that NSs utilized were also compared between these assessment points. Results: As anticipated, the anxiety levels were the highest on the first day and progressively decreased throughout the first rotation. As for the gathering of patient information from the previous shift, progressively increased numbers of NSs obtained early morning laboratory data, and the majority of NSs obtained them by the end of the first rotation. A steady increase was also seen in obtaining vital signs (VSs) from the previous shift but the number did not reach 100% of NSs even on the last clinical day. Less than half of the NSs obtained the previous shift’s patients’ pain levels throughout the rotation. The computer use was consistently the most popular source of patient information. There was no increase in utilization of RNs, either day-shift or night-shift as the information source during the rotation. Conclusion: The novice NSs did not show consistent improvement in gathering essential patient information during the first clinical rotation. It is important to remind NSs to obtain all essential patient information periodically and to encourage them to obtain patient information from the shift report.