“I Felt Alienated in the Operating Room”: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

To investigate the clinical practice experiences of nursing students in the operating room and to evaluate these experiences in terms of professional socialization. This study was designed as a qualitative study based on Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. The study was conducted with second-year nursing students who attended the operating room (OR) as an observer for 10 hours as part of the Surgical Nursing course. The study data were collected with a semistructured interview form on the day following this restricted and limited experience. This form included items that questioned the students' experiences of how they perceived the clinical experience and how they were ultimately affected. The data were analyzed using van Manen's thematic analysis. The study was conducted with nine students, including four males and five females. The ages of the students ranged between 19 and 21 years. Two themes and seven subthemes were determined as a result of the data analysis. The themes of the study were (1) short and difficult experience and (2) very important for professional socialization. The study provided important information about nursing students' experiences regarding the effect of OR practice on their professional socialization. It was understood that the students perceived OR practice as a short and difficult experience, felt worthless and alienated, and realized that there was no empathy in the OR. Additionally, they stated that the team members did their job very well and that they felt the importance of being the best. Moreover, they found OR practice important for guiding one's career goals, professional socialization, and gaining a professional identity.