Lived Experiences of Nursing Students in Performing Essential Immediate Newborn Care (EINC) in the Delivery Room: A Phenomenological Study
Keywords:
Essential Immediate Newborn Care, nursing students, lived experiences, clinical competence, delivery room, phenomenologyAbstract
This phenomenological study explored the factors influencing nursing students' confidence, anxiety, and competence in complying with Department of Health guidelines like Unang Yakap, as well as their lived experiences performing Essential Immediate Newborn Care (EINC) in the Delivery Room. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with nursing students who had firsthand clinical experience with EINC procedures using a qualitative research approach. To examine the stories, thematic analysis was employed.
The Fulfilled Student Nurse, Happy Student Nurse, Better Student Nurse, Compliant Student Nurse, and Apprehensive Student Nurse were the five main themes that emerged. The results showed that students first felt anxious, fearful, and unconfident, especially when handling newborn babies and administering injections under observation.
The study emphasizes how essential supportive mentorship and hands-on learning are in developing clinical confidence in complex settings. Even though taking the EINC is emotionally draining, it is a life-changing experience that helps nursing students develop their careers as nurses. The results highlight how crucial it is to improve both technical proficiency and psychological preparedness through organized training, simulation, and encouraging clinical settings.
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