Nurse students approach on concepts

Nurse Students' opinion regarding fundamental parameters of health while practicing health care defines their professional identity and for that reason, their opinion could give direction for the formation of their professional role and their education and training. Aim: The present study's aim is to examine nurse students' opinion, beliefs and attitude regarding the concepts of "illness", "safety in health care" and "quality in health care" while being in an educational environment which promotes cooperative class activities. Methodology: In this pilot study participated thirty six (36) undergraduate students of Department of Nursing University Peloponnese in the frame of course "Introduction in Nursing Science". Students' answers evaluated using content analysis method and the analysis was based on the latent content of students' answers. Therefore, the texts which were selected as the analysis units were afterwards shortened by using the "abstraction" method. In other words, the method that was followed included the data extraction with base of their content and afterwards those data were categorized and classified in wider subcategories. In order to quantify provided data, these subcategories were unified in wider categories-subjects which in turn unify all the individual meanings. Results: All thirty-six (36) students who filled the questionnaire answered that the meaning of illness concerns so much the physical as long as the mental status of a person. Students were then called to define the meaning of concept "safety in health care" and from their answers using content analysis method, 78 reports resulted. Students also answered in the question "what means safety in health care", that safety concerns both health care professionals and all the rest health care users. In the second category were categorized the students' answers that concerned in the way with who, at their opinion, is ensured the safety in the provided health care, in other words which are the necessary conditions that argue safety in health care. In the third category were categorized the participants' answers concerning the result of care that proves safety, that is to say, which is the evidence that proves safety existence in benefit of health care. Students were here called to answer what means in their opinion the concept "quality in health services". From their answers, who were analyzed using content analysis method and categorized in four categories-subjects, resulted 72 reports. Conclusions: Nurse students' and therefore future health professionals' answers concerning the meaning of basic concepts, such as "illness", "safety" and "quality in health care", show how sensitive they are regarding related subjects. The result reveals the way they conceive their professional role and education, their attitude in real working conditions and evolving the quality of provided services but also how well they are prepared to seek quality in health care.

Keywords: Health, care, education, illness, safety, quality