Contradictory views of nursing care among students at the end of their nursing education

AbstractAimTo understand how nursing students at the end of their nursing education view nursing care.BackgroundAlthough care is understood as the essence of nursing, it is often difficult for nurses to provide care, which demonstrates a contradiction between theory and practice. Moreover, it is unknown to what extent this contradiction is transmitted to future nursing professionals or how they view nursing care and its practice.DesignQualitative ethnographic research.MethodsThe fieldwork was conducted between December 2010 ‐ May 2012 in a university nursing school in Barcelona and two centres where students carry out most of their practical education. The data collection techniques were participant observation and focus groups. A thematic analysis was used.ResultsThe students demonstrated contradictory views of nursing care. On one hand, they voiced a more theoretical, official definition where care is considered the core of the profession. On the other hand, they also expressed a view where the provision of care is not nurses’ principal daily activity, a fact that did not surprise them. Students interpreted caring as an activity that has low value and that can be transferred unpr