Going-it alone: the university progression of women nursing students who are the first person in their intimate relationship to go to university

Abstract

This article argues for an expansion of the idea of the first-in-family student to include the student whose spouse or partner has not been to university. Between 2015 and 2016, a qualitative longitudinal study, guided by Gadamer's hermeneutic philosophy, was undertaken. Twenty-nine undergraduate women nursing students who began university in a heterosexual intimate relationship participated. All 29 were interviewed in their fourth semester of their degree (or part-time equivalent), and 23 of these 29 completed a second interview in their last semester. Thematic analysis of the resultant 52 interviews revealed the participants who were the first person in their intimate relationship to go to university faced a series of difficulties associated with this relationship. The partners of these women were less willing to share in the university journey and offered little emotional support. Participants experienced personal growth and widened worldviews during their degree, and developed a more liberal stance on gender roles within the relationship. The women's changing perspectives and their partners' ongoing lack of emotional, and also practical support, tested the dynamics of the intimate relationship. The situations of tension and conflict that ensued challenged the women's progression and with this, the stability and functioning of the relationship itself. Higher education initiatives are proposed to support this vulnerable student group. This includes partner outreach activities, enhanced pastoral support systems, and a flexible and responsive approach from the university to women who experience relationship difficulties during their degree. Further research is required to build a body of evidence around the first-in-relationship student experience.

Nursing practicum equity for a changing nurse student demographic: a qualitative study

“…The findings reported in this article come from a larger qualitative Australian study completed in 2016, that aimed to understand the university experiences of women nurse students who began university in a heterosexual intimate relationship [ 16 , 18 ]. This larger study aimed to understand gender relationships between cis women and men and the influence of these relationships on cis women student university experiences.…”

“…The practicum represents a period where the student is expected to commit to full-time engagement for weeks to months at a time and may be a particularly stressful period of the nursing degree for women with family responsibilities. A lack of male partner support with domestic responsibilities (housework and childcare) can restrict the woman’s capacity to meet the time demands of their degree, especially during the practicum [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. This lack of support can cause conflict within the intimate relationship, which can further heighten the woman’s perceived stress.…”

Nursing Practicum Equity for a Changing Nurse Student Demographic: a Qualitative Study

“…The ndings reported in this article come from a larger qualitative Australian study completed in 2016, that aimed to understand the university experiences of women nurse students who began university in a heterosexual intimate relationship [15,17]. The study methodology was guided by Gadamer's hermeneutic philosophy, which supports the development of authentic and meaningful understanding of experiences from the participant's perspective [21].…”

“…The women in this study described how they continued to take responsibility for the domestic work and childcare once they began university [see 15,17]. Participants reported that in their relationship, their male partner did not regard themselves as responsible for domestic duties, and instead viewed their role as largely restricted to the main breadwinner.…”

“…The practicum represents a period where the student is expected to commit to full-time engagement for weeks to months at a time and may be a particularly stressful period of the nursing degree for women with family responsibilities. A lack of male partner support with domestic responsibilities (housework and childcare) can restrict the woman's capacity to meet the time demands of their degree, especially during the practicum [15,16,17]. This lack of support can cause con ict within the intimate relationship, which can further heighten the woman's perceived stress.…”