Experiences of Nursing Interns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Saudi Arabia: A Phenomenological Study.

Background: Clinical training in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a unique experience due to the specialty and complex care provided for critically ill neonates. There is a lack of research exploring nursing interns' experience in the NICU.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the nursing interns' experience regarding their clinical placement in the NICU in Saudi Arabia.

Method: A phenomenological study was used to understand the lived experience of nursing interns in the NICU. Data were collected through two semi-structured focus group interviews. The first focus group included eight nursing interns, and the second group included seven. These interns completed their NICU placement. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes from the data.

Results: Four main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) pleasant experiences in the NICU training, (2) sources of encouragement in the NICU training, (3) barriers to effective learning in the NICU, and (4) assessment and growth.

Conclusion: Supportive NICU staff and practical involvement enhanced effective learning, while administrative tasks and improper use of interns' time posed significant barriers. Revising the nursing interns' training program in the NICU is needed to reduce non-educational tasks and improve assessment methods to better reflect interns' clinical performance.