Nursing students´perception of taking part in an Inter-professional Clinical Study Unit

Background: Length of hospitalization is reduced demanding effective and timely interventions from all health professions. In an Inter-professional Clinical Study Unit (ICSU) students have the opportunity to develop inter-professional competencies. Nevertheless some nursing students have commented that staying in an ICSU is an interruption in their final clinical placement with limited learning possibilities.
Aim: The aim of the study was to explore nursing students´perceptions of taking part in an ICSU
Methods: The study was qualitative with explorative, decriptive and interpretative aspects. Data were collected among nursing students by focus group interviews.
Findings: Nursing students increased knowledge of both own and other professions. Similarly, they realised the importance of inter-professional teamwork. However, they problematized that it was difficult to see the relevance and to integrate the stay at ICSU in their final clinical placement. Moreover, students spent a considerable amount of time an basic nursing tasks during their stay at the ICSU; skills already acquired earlier in their education programme.
Conclusion: Staying in an ICSU improved inter-professional collaboration skills. It is, however, important to stress the importance of basic nursing tasks being the foundation for nursing assessments in the final part of the education.