ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF PLAY IN A NURSING LABORATORY.
Contributors: University of Georgia.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 182
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Health Sciences, Education.
Description: The nursing skills laboratory is a major component of many programs in nursing education. Little research has been devoted to variables in the skills laboratory, with particular attention to the atmosphere in which skills are practiced. This study was designed to explore the atmosphere of play in a basic nursing skills laboratory. It specifically addressed the issues of what meanings students associate with play, what conditions must be present for play to take place, and what processes take place when play is present.

Theoretic constructs of symbolic interactionism and of flow guided the development of the study. The interpretive methods of observation and open-ended interviewing were used to collect data over a twenty-seven week period in the sophomore year of a baccalaureate nursing program. Emergent themes were identified using the constant comparison method of data analysis. These themes provided integrating constructs for a preliminary explanation of play in nursing education.

Data analysis identified three major themes; learning of skills; rehearsing a nursing role; and, identification with a group of colleagues in nursing. Data revealed that, in an atmosphere of play, students found it was safe to make mistakes. This perception encouraged a spirit of exploration, interaction with others, and camaraderie between students, all of which supported learning of the required skills.

By taking the roles of patient and nurse in interaction with others, students derived empathy for the patient and began rehearsal of the role of nurse. A feeling of group cohesion developed, with members caring about and supporting each other. Students began to identify with the profession of nursing and took pride in their accomplishments.

This interpretive study uncovered some of the multiple outcomes resulting from an atmosphere of play in the nursing laboratory. Further research is needed to study two emergent hypotheses: (a) when the conditions of play are fulfilled, an atmosphere of play will be experienced by students; and (b) when an atmosphere of play pervades the laboratory, the processes revealed in this study are likely to emerge.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-11, Section: B, page: 4755.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, 1988.

School code: 0077.