Bachelor Thesis in nursing: A qualitative study of the teaching-learning process from the experience of the students, academic tutors and nurses

Abstract

Background: The Bachelor Thesis (BT) offers a pivotal opportunity for nursing students to develop and consolidate essential competencies. Investigating the teaching-learning process is critical to enhancing BT’s educational and clinical relevance. Aim To: explore the teaching-learning experiences of nursing students, academic tutors, and practicing nurses during the BT process. Design: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Settings and Participants: Convenience sampling was used to select 40 participants: 10 nursing students, 20 active nursing graduates, and 9 academic tutors from two universities, ensuring diversity. Methods: Four focus groups (one with tutors, one with nursing students, and 2 with graduate nurses) were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive thematic analysis was performed using Atlas-it 9 software. Results: The analysis identified four main themes with eight subthemes: Learning elements (facilitators and barriers); Competencies developed (transversal, research competence); Tutor’s role (functions and perceived value); and Proposals for improvement (gradual BT integration, tutor suitability and training, and innovative thesis approaches). Conclusions: The findings highlight individual and institutional factors influence students' competency development, with tutor interaction playing a central role. These factors shape student motivation and their perception of the BT’s relevance to professional practice. The study recommends that universities adopt strategies to foster self-regulation and responsibility in learning and implement BT modalities that promote peer collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and links to clinical practice. Additionally, tutor training is essential in both methodological and relational competencies to optimize their pedagogical contributions.