Workplace learning, nursing students & the theory of human relatedness

Phil Coleman presented this work at the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care’s online ‘Research and Scholarship’ seminar series, which showcases excellence in OU health and social care research on 7th June 2023.

The purpose of this research was to establish whether the Theory of Human Relatedness might explain how nursing student placement experiences are evaluated by stakeholders. In 2021/22, secondary data derived from semi-structured interviews exploring the practicum beliefs/experiences of 37 respondents from four stakeholder groups involved in two OU pre-registration nursing programmes were analysed against all eight main propositions within the Theory of Human Relatedness. During 2022/23, similar analysis was undertaken using data from focus groups which examined the placement reflections/views of 20 final-year pre-registration nursing undergraduates studying with an academic institution in Hong Kong. The results of both studies support every main proposition of this theory and in so doing demonstrate its value in seeking to explain the practicum experiences of nursing students in two nations with different social, cultural, and linguistic characteristics.