Abstract
Creating inclusive clinical learning environments in which students thrive is a priority in nursing education and practice to foster belongingness (Metzger & Taggert, 2020), address person-centered care needs (Marjadi et al., 2023), and prepare a diverse nursing workforce (Charania & Patel, 2022). Relationships nurtured among health care team members and nursing students provide the fundamental social context for acceptance and efficacious learning (Levett-Jones et al., 2007). Levett-Jones and Lathlean (2008) identified belongingness as a “deeply personal and contextually mediated experience that evolves in response to the degree to which an individual feels (a) secure, accepted, included, valued, and respected by a defined group, (b) connected with or integral to the group, and (c) that their professional and/or personal values are in harmony with those of the group. The experience of belongingness can evolve passively in response to the actions of others . . .” (p. 104). A sense of belonging by nursing students contributes to a healthy work environment and fosters positive entry into the work force. This presentation reports qualitative findings from a longitudinal mixed data study that explored perceptions of belonging in clinical placements for traditional baccalaureate nursing students (BSN) and accelerated baccalaureate nursing students (ABSN) attending a U.S. midwestern public university. The Belongingness Scale Clinical Placement Experience (Levett-Jones et al., 2009) and demographic surveys were distributed to BSN and ABSN nursing students completing medical-surgical clinicals at three points throughout the latter 18 months (three semesters) of a two-year nursing educational trajectory. In addition, students were asked to describe three factors that made them feel they belonged or did not belong in the clinical setting. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis to arrive at themes. An overarching theme was the presence or absence of basic civility amongst student peers, faculty, staff, and interprofessional team members. Major themes that contributed to belonging or lack of belonging were identified. This presentation will report on the major themes from the students’ perspective. A juxtaposition existed on most student reports of belonging and lack of belonging. For example, a given behavior could contribute to belongingness whereas the absence of the behavior contributed to a lack of belonging. Similarly, some uncivil behaviors were identified as contributing to a lack of belonging reflecting converse findings. These themes provide guidance to nurse clinicians to enhance clinical experiences that improve learning and practice.
Notes
References:
Charania, N. A. M. A., & Patel, R. (2022). Diversity, equity, and inclusion in nursing education: Strategies and processes to support inclusive teaching. Journal of Professional Nursing, 42, 67-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurse.2022.05.013
Levitt-Jones, T., & Lathlean, J. (2008). Belongingness: A prerequisite for nursing students’ clinical learning. Nurse Education in Practice, 8(2), 103-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2007.04.003
Levitt-Jones, T., Lathlean, J., Higgins, I., & McMillian, M. (2009). Staff-student relationships and their impact on nursing students’ belongingness and learning. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(2), 316-324. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04865.x
Levitt-Jones, T., Lathlean, J., Maguire, J., & McMillian, M. (2007). Belongingness: A critique of the concept and implications for nursing education. Nurse Education Today, 27, 210-218. https://doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2006.05.001
Marjadi, B., Flavel, J., Baker, K., Glenister, K., Morns, M., Triantafyllou, M., Strauss, P., Wolff, B., Procter, A. M., Mengesha, Z., Walsberger, S., Qiao, X., & Gardiner, P. A. (2023). Twelve tips for inclusive practice in healthcare settings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4657. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054657
Metzger, M., & Taggart, J. (2020). A longitudinal mixed methods study describing 4th year baccalaureate nursing students’ perceptions of inclusive pedagogical strategies. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(4), 229-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurse.2019.12.006
Sigma Membership
Gamma Pi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Social Belonging, Social Support, Professional Practice, Work Environment
Recommended Citation
Fleck, Missy Ofe; Carithers, Cathrin L.; Stamler, Lynnette Leeseberg; and Struwe, Leeza A., "Baccalaureate Nursing Students Identify Positive and Negative Belongingness Behaviors in Clinical Practice: Lessons for Clinicians" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 94.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/94
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-03-03
Baccalaureate Nursing Students Identify Positive and Negative Belongingness Behaviors in Clinical Practice: Lessons for Clinicians
Washington, DC, USA
Creating inclusive clinical learning environments in which students thrive is a priority in nursing education and practice to foster belongingness (Metzger & Taggert, 2020), address person-centered care needs (Marjadi et al., 2023), and prepare a diverse nursing workforce (Charania & Patel, 2022). Relationships nurtured among health care team members and nursing students provide the fundamental social context for acceptance and efficacious learning (Levett-Jones et al., 2007). Levett-Jones and Lathlean (2008) identified belongingness as a “deeply personal and contextually mediated experience that evolves in response to the degree to which an individual feels (a) secure, accepted, included, valued, and respected by a defined group, (b) connected with or integral to the group, and (c) that their professional and/or personal values are in harmony with those of the group. The experience of belongingness can evolve passively in response to the actions of others . . .” (p. 104). A sense of belonging by nursing students contributes to a healthy work environment and fosters positive entry into the work force. This presentation reports qualitative findings from a longitudinal mixed data study that explored perceptions of belonging in clinical placements for traditional baccalaureate nursing students (BSN) and accelerated baccalaureate nursing students (ABSN) attending a U.S. midwestern public university. The Belongingness Scale Clinical Placement Experience (Levett-Jones et al., 2009) and demographic surveys were distributed to BSN and ABSN nursing students completing medical-surgical clinicals at three points throughout the latter 18 months (three semesters) of a two-year nursing educational trajectory. In addition, students were asked to describe three factors that made them feel they belonged or did not belong in the clinical setting. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis to arrive at themes. An overarching theme was the presence or absence of basic civility amongst student peers, faculty, staff, and interprofessional team members. Major themes that contributed to belonging or lack of belonging were identified. This presentation will report on the major themes from the students’ perspective. A juxtaposition existed on most student reports of belonging and lack of belonging. For example, a given behavior could contribute to belongingness whereas the absence of the behavior contributed to a lack of belonging. Similarly, some uncivil behaviors were identified as contributing to a lack of belonging reflecting converse findings. These themes provide guidance to nurse clinicians to enhance clinical experiences that improve learning and practice.
Description
A sense of belonging by nursing students contributes to a healthy work environment and fosters positive entry into the workforce. Qualitative results of this longitudinal mixed data study identify behaviors and other factors that foster or hinder belongingness in student relationships with staff, peers, and faculty.