Abstract
Background: Student nurses are expected to implement a caring practice in order to become professional nurses. Caring has remained the art and science of nursing, which student nurses learn from professional nurses during clinical practice. The South African Nursing Council mandates professional nurses to teach and supervise student nurses to master the art of caring during clinical practice. Caring is taught through role-modelling of daily nursing activities. Research purpose: This study was performed to gain an understanding of South African student nurses’ experiences of professional nurses’ role-modelling of caring. Methods: Phenomenological, qualitative research. Purposive sampling of fourth-year student nurses. Data collection: focus groups, observations and field notes. The data were analysed using Giorgi’s modified Husserlian five-step method. Ethical principles were respected. Results: Three themes were identified. Theme 1: inconsistency in the clinical environment; Theme 2: effective and ineffective role-modelling of caring and Theme 3: carelessness cascading. Conclusions: The study facilitated an understanding of student nurses’ experiences of professional nurses’ rolemodelling of caring. Recommendations to facilitate professional nurses’ role-modelling of caring in a public hospital were formulated: Mentorship training, recognition system for professional nurses, clinical support for student nurses, open channels of communication, random nurse leader rounds, employee wellness program, workshops and positive learning environment promotion.