“A privilege but also a challenge.” Nurse educators' perceptions about teaching fundamental care in a simulated learning environment: A qualitative study

Aims and objectives To explore nurse educators' perceptions about teaching fundamental care to undergraduate nursing students in a simulated learning environment. Background Recent research has demonstrated that fundamental care is overlooked in nursing education, resulting in little empirical research on how to teach fundamental care within a simulated learning environment. Design The study has a qualitative, explorative design. The principles of consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were applied for reporting the methods and findings. Methods Data were collected through participant observations and focus group interviews with nursing students, clinical nurses and nurse educators. The data were analysed using the qualitative content analysis method. Results The core category “A privilege but also a challenge” represents the overall perception of nurse educators' perceptions about teaching fundamental care in a simulated learning environment. The core category is supported by two subcategories: “Fundamental care is important to nursing education” and “To set a good example,” which represent the attributes and the role nurse educators have in helping students achieve their fundamental care learning outcomes. Conclusions Fundamental care can be taught to students by engaging them in an interplay between lectures and learning activities that are designed to enhance their skills during simulations in simulated learning environments. Relevance to clinical practice Nursing education should prepare students to develop the skills they will be applying when providing fundamental care in real life; thus, the students should learn how to deliver high‐quality fundamental care.