Nursing as a scientific undertaking and the intersection with science in undergraduate studies: implications for nursing management

Aim: Explore the science-nursing tension and impact for students studying bioscience. Background: Several studies have examined why nursing students struggle in science subjects. Clinical environment's impact on students' efforts.Methods: A qualitative study explored the science'nursing tension and undergraduate science curriculum with Australian Registered Nurses. Results: Professional contexts align inconsistently contributing to hidden curriculum. Emphasis on procedural skills and 'task busyness' reinforces the tension. This can be an adverse experience for the student on practicum. However, the practice environment provides opportunities for science knowledge integration and transformation.Conclusions: Competing philosophies impact upon student endeavours yet the nexus created between theory and practice can be utilised to activate the student's curiosity and improve their science learning experience. Implications for Nursing Management: Nurse managers should recognise that the impact of the work environment during practicum can be enhanced by structuring learning experiences so that application of scientific theory to practice is overt, not assumed. This would avoid reinforcement of the hidden curricula that prioritise perfecting skills and task efficiency over understanding and applying bioscience to nurses' decision making. Nurse education managers should understand the importance of structuring the curriculum to allocate sufficient time for the application, as well as the teaching, of bioscience.