Health coaching for undergraduate nursing students: a pilot study for an action research

Health coaching for undergraduate nursing students: a pilot study for an action research

Authors

  • Rita Romano University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Federica Begarani University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Elena Giovanna Bignami Department of Medicine and Surgery (Director, School of Spec. in Anesthesia, Resuscitation), University of Parma (Italy)
  • Cristina Casubolo University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Romina Corbara D'Annunzio University of Chieti/Pescara (Italy)
  • Rachele La Sala University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Pasquale La Torre University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Giuseppe Marletta University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Sandrino Marra University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Michele Martelli University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Michele Minari University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Giulia Pelosi University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Alfonso Sollami University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Chiara Taffurelli University Teaching Hospital of Parma (Italy)
  • Antonio Pipio D'Annunzio University of Chieti/Pescara (Italy)

Keywords:

nursing students, health coaching, psycho-physical-emotional state comprehension decision-making skills, self-esteem

Abstract

Background and aim: The Nursing undergraduate degree educational program represents an intensive and complex course, and includes a number of professionalizing practical internships, and for these reasons it requires an action to support and improve. Coaching is based on the premise that people have personal strengths and abilities which, through a interview, can be directed to solving their problems. Several studies demonstrate the efficacy of Health Coaching in different University, but never have been measured benefits regard skills improving. The objective of the study is to assess the impact of a health coaching program on the nursing students. Method: A pre-post quasi-experimental study was conducted, involving the activation of a Health Coaching Program for 25 nursing students selected through convenience sampling, based on their fulfillment of the inclusion criteria. The Health Coaching Program was administered by the Health Coaching Academy. Result: This study also evaluated parameters such as: level of concentration in study, motivation, problem solving and reorganization skills, study organization skills, psycho-physical-emotional state comprehension, decision-making skills and self-esteem, noting a statistically significant increase post-HC program. A statistically significant improvement was also found in the students’ perception of their own stress management skills after the course. Conclusion: This study strengthens the hypothesis that HC programs contribute to improving performance of nursing students. Those conclusions need to be corroborated by future studies on the topic to further support the hypothesis that programs of HC within the learning nursing contexts can lead to a tangible benefit for students of the health professions.

Author Biography

Romina Corbara, D'Annunzio University of Chieti/Pescara (Italy)

Department of Legal and Social Sciences

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Published

17-10-2023

Issue

Section

HEALTH PROFESSIONS

How to Cite

1.
Romano R, Begarani F, Bignami EG, et al. Health coaching for undergraduate nursing students: a pilot study for an action research. Acta Biomed. 2023;94(5):e2023209. doi:10.23750/abm.v94i5.14526