Die studenteverpleegkundige se belewenis van die operasiesaal

English: The general shortage of professional nurses in South-Africa contributed directly to the nursing staff shortages in the peri-operative settings. During 2005, operating room nursing was classified as one of the scarce skills. The intake of newly qualified nurses in the operating room is minimal each year and the reason could be due to the many and complex requirements that are expected of the student nurse in the operating room setting. It is thus important to understand their experiences of the operating room before an attempt can be made to change their clinical experiences. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate and describe the experiences of student nurses during their placement and to make recommendations with regard to the findings. Recommendations are made to change the student nurse's experiences of the operating room, with the purpose of acquiring professional nurses for the operating room. The researcher used a qualitative, descriptive, explorative en contextual research design. Data was acquired by way of individual and focus group interviews and all third year nursing students of a Tertiary educational institution that worked in the operating room complex during the time of the research and complied with the inclusion criteria, was motivated to take part of the study. A total of 11 individual and three focus group interviews were held. The interviews were recorded on audio tape and transcribed verbatim. Tesch's method of data analysis was used and the coding of the data was verified by a co-coder. Certain conclusions have been made with the findings of the study and it seems that there are certain factors that have an influence on the student nurse's experience of the operating room. These factors include: - A positive as well as negative experience of the operating room. - Problems with regard to communication e.g. the use of language. - Gaps in clinical training, with regard to insufficient orientation. - Problems with adaptation with regard to a new and strange environment. - Insufficient supervision. A number of recommendations are made with regard to the abovementioned issues. Strategies to create a motivated working climate. A briefing and debriefing session with regard to the student nurses clinical tasks in the operating room. A mentorship system and changes with regard to the orientation of student nurses that start working in the operating room, are part of the recommendations. Student nurses should reach certain clinical outcomes after his/her period of placement in the operating room. Clinical skills could be exercised in a simulation laboratory. When student nurses are working in the surgical ward, an opportunity must be created where they can accompany the patient through the peri-operative phase. Continuous clinical accompaniment by the lecturers of the Tertiary educational institution should take place in order to check on the studentnurses progress and receive feedback of their adaptation. Application of the language policy and principles of supervision of studentnurses in the operating room. Follow-up research projects would be of great value.