Slovenian nursing students’ perspectives and experiences with nursing care of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities : a qualitative descriptive study

Pađen, Ljubiša (author), Vettorazzi, Renata (author), Ravljen, Mirjam (author), Pajnič, Manca (author)

Background/Objectives: Providing nursing care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can be challenging for nursing students, often perceived as stressful, demanding, and, at times, unpleasant. This study aimed to describe the experiences of students in their interactions and provision of nursing care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Fourteen self-reflections from nursing students were analysed by using qualitative content analysis. Results: The findings indicate that students experience contact and nursing care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as dynamic and varied. This process is characterised by transitions in communication and interaction, emotional transitions, and transitions in knowledge and understanding of caring and nursing care. Conclusions: Students encountered emotional, cognitive, and behavioural challenges when interacting with and providing care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their experience is described as multidimensional and demanding. Gaining insight into these experiences and understanding the students’ perspectives are essential for planning future theoretical and practical nursing education.

• Language: English
• Keywords: nursing care, student, experience, adjustment, learning disabilities, content analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 11 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 1, art. 61
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177159
• UDC: 616-083:378
• ISSN on article: 2227-9032
• DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13010061
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261754371
• Publication date in RUL: 17.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Healthcare
• Shortened title: Healthcare
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2227-9032
• COBISS.SI-ID: 520110873

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.