Journey less travelled: Female nursing students’ experiences in providing intimate care in two nursing education institutions in Gauteng province, South Africa

BACKGROUND: Intimate care is not facilitated in South African nursing education and training. Nursing students encounter it for the first time in clinical practice, where they see and touch the naked bodies of patients. The societal segregation of gender roles has led to the feminisation of the nursing profession, suggesting that women are more caring and maternal and that intimate care implementation comes more easily to them than to their male counterparts. AIM: This study explored female nursing students’ experiences of intimate care for diverse patients. SETTING: The study was conducted in two nursing education institutions in Gauteng province, South Africa. METHODS: Descriptive phenomenology was used to describe the lived experiences of participants. Seventeen female nursing students were purposively sampled. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed using Moustakas’ (1994) eight steps. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: intimate care comprehension, preparedness for providing intimate care, reactions in providing intimate care and coping mechanisms when providing intimate care to diverse patients. CONCLUSION: Intimate care forms a basis on which nursing students prioritise the physical needs of patients by providing care that exposes their bodies and requires touch. The students were taught to provide care with respect, maintaining patient autonomy and nursing professionalism. Unfortunately, age and gender barriers create feelings of discomfort and embarrassment. More needs to be done to support and empower nursing students in providing intimate care to diverse patients competently, confidently and comfortably. CONTRIBUTION: Understanding the experiences of participants in providing intimate care to diverse patients will assist nurse educators in intimate care facilitation and support. The female nursing students will be empowered and trained to execute intimate care in a manner that is culturally, religiously and ethically acceptable.