Authors

• Lappalainen, Sirpa (University of Helsinki. Department of Behavioural Sciences)

Keywords

ethnography, nursing education, nursing profession, students, vocational education

Abstract

The data are part of a wider ethnographic study in which the everyday life in an educational institution for social and health care in the capital area of Finland was observed. The study also included teacher interviews (FSD2735) and field notes (FSD2575).

The dataset comprises 35 student interviews, 18 of which were individual interviews, 16 paired interviews and one an interview of three people. Eight students were interviewed more than once. All of the interviewees belonged to the classes which had been observed by the researcher (see FSD2575).

The interviews conducted were ethnographic interviews based on the observations made. While the main themes were always the same, other themes varied somewhat from interview to interview. The interviews covered themes such as the students' family background, accommodation, job, friends, reasons for choosing practical nurse education and future plans. Follow-up interviews focused on their feelings about studies and study choices, life events, future working life and learning in practice.

The dataset is only available in Finnish.