Abstract
Aim: The research was planned for the purpose of identifying the time allocated by nursing students to direct care practices during clinical practices and the students’ care behavior perceptions.
Method: The research was conducted as a descriptive type and the sample of the research consisted of 80 students in total, excluding first-year students studying in the nursing department of a foundation university. The data of study were collected with “Inspection Form for Nursing Students’ Activities in Clinical Practices” and “Care Behaviors Scale”. Data were collected by observation.
Results: The time allocated by the students to direct care practices during a practice day in clinic was identified as; 138,8±57,0 minutes on average in second graders, 105,6,7±40,3 minutes on average in third graders, and 99,8±60,1 minutes on average in fourth graders, It was identified that the second graders spend 50,2±40,3 minutes, the third graders spend 6,1±15,6 minutes, and the fourth graders spend 38,4±43,3 minutes for the practices other than care practices. It was statistically found a difference between the times allocated by the students to direct care and other practices with regard to grades (p<0,05). The total average score of the students in Care Behaviors Scale-24 was identified as 5,14±0,59, and the scores of the students who chose the profession voluntarily were found as higher than the other students. (p<0,05). Although the students' perceptions of care behaviors were positive, it was determined that the time they allocated to direct care practices was less.
Conclusion: It was identified that although the care quality perception of the students are high, the time they allocated to direct care practices is low.