Department for Learning Development

’Students as Researchers’

PED05 - Student Perceptions of the Value of Interacting with Service Users and Carers in an educational setting

Name / Jill Foley and Sandra Duggan
Section/Subject / Nursing
School / School of Health and Social Care
Contact email / ;
Title of research project/activity / Student Perceptions of the Value of Interacting with Service Users and Carers in an educational setting
Pedagogic or Discipline Specific / Pedagogic
Summary of project research activity / Background:
During the first year of the new[1] pre-registration nursing programme students now have direct contact with service users in two innovative workshops.
Workshop 1. During induction week, students take part in workshops facilitated by service users and carers and nursing academic staff. The workshops explore the core values of nursing from a service user perspective, the important attributes and values associated with high quality nursing practice and person centred care. They alsoexamine how nursing practice can enhance people’s experiences of health and social care and promote positive health outcomes. At the end of the workshops, students, service users and staff are asked to evaluate the experience and the learning that ensued.
Workshop 2. During the second term, in a module entitled the Role of the Nurse in Improving the Health and Wellbeing of Vulnerable Groups the same students have the opportunity to interact with refugee and asylum seekers from three different cultures exploring their perceptions, and experience, of health care in the UK. These workshops were derived from a consultation culminating in the approval of the new degree (during which service user and carer involvement was commended). Again evaluation by all concerned is invited at the end of the event.
Rationale for the study:
This application focuses on the analysis of the student feedback from both these workshops which will inform the on-going development of the teaching and learning strategies used within the pre-registration nursing programme. The induction workshop in descriptive form has already been presented at a conference[2] and the original work was identified as an example of good practice which the team would like to disseminate through publication. The workshops with refugee and asylum seekers have generated interest from other parts of the university and other organisations e.g. Cleveland Police keen to develop training in diversity and equality. Again we intend to disseminate this work.
Underpinning pedagogy:
The induction workshops are experiential with statements provided by service users and carers forming discussion cues which facilitate guided exploration and sharing of perceptions and experiences. The refugee and asylum seeker workshops use themes developed collaboratively and around which the students generate questions with their lecturers prior to the event. Both workshops involve students in active learning by maximising interaction between themselves and service users and carers.
The research project:
The research sets out to answer the question: ‘What are student perceptions of the value of interacting with service users and carers in an educational setting?’.
The proposed research project involves an analysis of two sets of student evaluations. The analysis of both sets of data will follow similar methodology (grounded theory) and will strengthen the evidence used to support and disseminate this work. The results of the analyses will inform future teaching, conference presentations and publications.
The project team is comprised of Jill Foley and Sandra Duggan. They will support the Student throughout the process and will provide a preparatory session to familiarise the Student with the research study, software and its application. The Student will have access to a work station.
With guidance, the Student as a Researcher will undertake the qualitative analysis of student evaluations for Workshop 1 (N=230) and for Workshop 2 (N=218) using NVivo, a qualitative data analysis computer software package suitable for this kind of data[3]. It is expected that the student will complete both analyses and have the opportunity to prepare the data in a form suitable for presentation or publication.
The Student as a Researcher will have regular contact with the applicants to discuss issues that emerge during the analysis process. After initial discussion of the details of the project, meetings will be weekly and, once underway, every fortnight or as required. Queries that arise at other times will be answered directly or by email / phone contact.
Research output(s) for student / This is an excellent opportunity for a Student as a Researcher to gain an in-depth knowledge of qualitative data analysis. Through participating in this study The Student as a Researcher will become familiar with:
·  Grounded theory
·  Thematic analysis
·  NVivo
Through practice, s/he will also gain a thorough knowledge of the NVivo software as well as an understanding of its potential as a research tool. In addition, the Student will be able to contribute to developing the results in a form suitable for presentation / publication. We will acknowledge the Student’s input on publication of the evaluation.
Anticipated timeline for project / All the students’ evaluations for the last academic year were transcribed in August 2013 so the Student Researcher will be able to begin analysis immediately. We have piloted the first stage of the analysis and estimate that each evaluative script takes approximately 5 mins to analyse The prescribed 65 hours we estimate will include:
·  Familiarisation with the study, software and structure of data and begin analysis of Workshop 1. (approx. 5 hours)
·  First stage analysis of Workshop 1 (approx. 20 hours)
·  Merging resultant themes with consultation with applicants, to achieve optimal categorisation and begin to develop appropriate presentation of output. (5 hours)
·  First stage analysis of Workshop 2 (approx. 20 hours)
·  Further analysis of Workshop 2 and development of output for both Workshops ready for presentation or publication. (approx.15 hours)
Please note these timescales are indicative only and allow for flexibility so that the student’s study commitments can be accommodated.
Number of student hours required (up to 65) / 65

[1] The new programme began in September 2012

[2] Foley J. and Duggan S. 2012 How can you meaningfully involve service users and carers in developing new curricula? Authenticity to Action Conference, UCLAN Preston November 7th 2012.

[3] One of the applicants has used NVivo extensively – see Duggan S., Blackman T. and Martyr A. 2008 The impact of early dementia on outdoor life: a shrinking world? Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice 7 (2) 191-204; Duggan S., Cox J. and O’Halloran C. 1999 Evaluating one-to-one teaching in general practice. Medical Teacher 21 (1) 61-66.