'It happened suddenly… I didn't know what to do.' Challenges and support needs of Turkish nursing students following occupational accidents: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim

This study was planned to determine nursing students’ injury experiences in their practice areas and their solutions-related suggestions.

Background

Clinical training accidents can physically and mentally harm students, potentially affecting their development and careers. Understanding their injury experiences and solutions can help improve this area.

Design

This descriptive qualitative study used face-to-face semi-structured interviews and content analysis.

Methods

The data of the study were collected from 15 nursing students who attended a nursing faculty in Türkiye and experienced an occupational accident with a semi-structured interview form between September 2023 and October 2024. The study was reported using the COREQ checklist.

Results

The data were categorized under four main themes: (1) Factors Leading to Injury – lack of experience, lack of attention (distraction due to clinical workload) and not using protective equipment; (2) Post-Injury Experiences – negative emotions (fear, regret), loss of motivation, changes in clinical success and stigmatization by peers (being mocked or excluded by classmates); (3) Support Needs – support to access health services (institutional gaps), psychological support and peer support; (4) Recommendations – pre-clinical orientation, mentorship by experienced nurses (lack of mentorship) and being able to access protective equipment.

Conclusion

Nursing students with limited clinical experience experienced significant challenges in performing interventions on patients, making them more susceptible to occupational accidents. These incidents not only affected them individually but also had academic and social consequences. Addressing these issues through enhanced clinical training and a stronger emphasis on safety protocols is essential to minimize the risk of such accidents.