Reorienting nursing education toward a culture of self-care: Nursing students' experiences of nurse self-care integration—A qualitative systematic review
Year: 2026
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Integrating self-care into nursing education supports students' development and academic success, with anticipated benefits extending into their future nursing practice. Evidence on students' perspectives about embedded self-care remains limited and fragmented, with no qualitative systematic review currently available. AIM: To thematically synthesize the evidence from existing literature exploring nursing students' experiences in learning and engaging in self-care practices during their education. DESIGN: Systematic review and qualitative thematic synthesis. METHODS: Six databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Emcare, and Scopus, were systematically searched. The review was registered with PROSPERO and adhered to the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) checklist. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) for qualitative research checklist. Thomas and Harden's thematic synthesis approach was followed, and the generated evidence was assessed using the Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) criteria. RESULTS: A total of 2167 studies were screened, and 16 studies involving 892 pre-registration nursing students were included in the final synthesis. Five analytical themes were identified: decision to embark on a self-care program, immersing oneself in the self-care program, nurturing growth in multiple areas, program qualities enhancing usability and outcomes, and challenges and reflections informing future programs. The review's findings were rated as having moderate to high confidence. CONCLUSION: Students viewed the self-care programs as valuable by offering them with a dedicated space, a structured process, and practical resources to meet their self-care needs, although some challenges were noted. Gaining insight into students' perspectives is key to designing programs that are both meaningful and practical, ultimately fostering a culture of self-care in nursing education. These programs support the concurrent cultivation of students' nursing competencies and personal development, qualities essential for navigating modern healthcare challenges.
Source: Nurse Education Today
Institutions: Udayana University, Monash University
Language: English
Subfield: Research and Theory
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,010
OpenAlex ID: W7129075351