DISCRIMINATION IN LEARNING NURSING CARE

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to understand the phenomenon of "discrimination" as a part of nursing students learning how to provide nursing care, that is, how students make decisions and prioritize nursing care. Using a qualitative research methodology data collection included the use of semi-structured interviews and field notes. The sample was made up of nursing students enrolled in a nursing program in a university in southern Chile. The students had acquired specific clinical skills and were in the third and fourth years of study. The extreme-case method was used based on students' academic scores as mean criterion. Data were analyzed using the Atlas. ti tool followed by application of Grounded Theory techniques to identify four analytical categories. Results showed that nursing students were able to discriminate for themselves, based mainly on criteria about disease and personal factors, such as the attractiveness of a person's face, openness to dialog, level of communication and so on. Findings showed that students paid special attention to people with 'interesting' diseases, known diseases, or health problems which offered students the opportunity to implement nursing care plans and to assess outcomes. These elements emerged like determinant factors based on the emotions that they produce in the beginning students, triggering them to give better care to some individuals over others.