Assessing learning process of caring behavior among nursing students in Palembang, Indonesia

Background Caring as the heart of nursing profession should be learned by nursing students. However, in fact, to generate caring professional nurses is not an uncomplicated issue and there are some factors that can influence its achievement. Socio-cognitive theory which emphasizes on interaction between person, behavior, and environment in learning theory was used to assess caring behavior learning process. Objective The aims of the study are to assess characteristics of nursing students, to identify students’ preferences in choosing their profession, to pinpoint students’ perception and educators’ teaching methods used in caring behavior class and to determine students understanding of caring behavior. Methods A descriptive analysis was used to analyze data obtained through surveys and brief interviews.Samples are 232 nursing students from diploma III program (89, 66 and 77 students, respectively students at semester 2, 4 and 6), 3 nurse educators and 3 stakeholders from 2 hospitals, and 1 from organizational profession. Results Majority, of the students are female and, had chosen nursing as the first priority. However, more than 50% of their choice was not based on their preferences, but influenced by family’s desire. There are more students who have less understanding about caring than those who have good understanding. Teaching strategies were varied, but mostly consist of lectures and discussions. There were complaints from stakeholders related to communication, patience, and empathy as a part of caring behavior nurses who graduated with diploma III. Conclusion Nurse educators should provide an extensive understanding of the nursing profession and motivate students from the early semester. Improved motivation is crucially important to enhance students’ caring behavior