Evaluating the emergency nursing programme : views of the students

Background Trauma is the leading cause of death in the young (ages 1-44) and the current life situation is responsible for producing emergency injuries from motor vehicle accidents, violence and from acute life threatening illnesses. The training of emergency nurses is therefore of priority based on the increasing demands on the entire emergency health care system. The study evaluates the education and training of emergency nursing programme that has been offered for the past seven (7) years at a Nursing Education Institution (NEI) in the Limpopo province. The programme has not has not been formally evaluated. Aim The overall aim of the study is to explore and describe the views of students pertaining to the emergency nursing programme offered at the NEI in the Limpopo province and to make recommendations for the refinement of the emergency nursing programme, based on the views of the nursing students. Methods A qualitative design working from an Appreciative Inquiry approach was employed. Purposive sampling was used and focus group interviews were conducted with 20 Professional nurses who are trained as emergency nurses at the NEI from 2007 to 2013. Two main themes emerged: theoretical aspects and clinical aspects, which included both positive and negative views. The findings were used to make recommendations to refine the programmeHealth StudiesM.A. (Health Studies