Nursing students' perceptions on the use of anatomical projections as an educational tool

ABSTRACT

Human anatomy is taught in Stage 1 of undergraduate Nursing programs at a Dublin university school of nursing. Dissection room based practical sessions were recently introduced as part of this module. Nursing candidates were surveyed to assess the value of these sessions as an educational tool. Students’ reactions and concerns regarding the dissection room were also evaluated. 74 students (67 female and 7 male) responded to the questionnaire. 97% of those surveyed were of Irish nationality; other nationalities included Ivorian, Nigerian and Philipino. 54.1% of students reported that they had no previous exposure to dead bodies before entering the dissection room. The majority of students (68.9%) were apprehensive at the thought of visiting the dissection room for the practical class. Loss of appetite was reported by 10.9% of students prior to entering the dissection room. 58.1% of students surveyed reported that the smell in the dissection room disturbed them in some way. The sight of the anatomical specimens also caused some distress (14.9%) as did touching the specimens used (16.3%). 8.2% of nursing students reported dizziness as a physical symptom during the practical session. Other physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling and recurring or disturbing visual images of cadavers did cause some distress among the nursing students surveyed, although this was minimal. Two open-ended questions were asked in order to determine the value of anatomy and the use of anatomical specimens by the students. The vast majority (95%) of students reported that anatomy as a subject is relevant to the nursing profession and is important to comprehend in detail prior to commencing clinical placement. 92% of students surveyed thought that the use of anatomical specimens aids in better visualisation of internal structures. Research findings suggest that although nursing students were apprehensive about practical sessions the majority found them to be very beneficial to their learning. Practical anatomy sessions with the use of prospected specimens can be a valuable learning experience for students (AU)

RESUMEN

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