Nursing laboratory as a technological subsystem of the organization: analysis of its utilization through critical incidents

Abstract

Viewing nursing laboratories as one of the technological subsystems at the University, the authors aimed at obtaining data in order to detect and analyse positive and negative incidents experienced by the undergraduate students related to the utilization of these laboratories. The study was developed at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto´s College of Nursing, with a sample formed by 160 students from the second to the fourth year of the course. The methodology was based on the utilization of the critical incident technique, applied through interviews oriented by two questions directed to the obtainment of positive and negative situations. We found 448 critical incidents, and among them 186 (41.5%) were positive and 262 (58.5%) were negative, showing the insatisfaction of the undergraduate students regarding the activities developed or related to the nursing laboratory. We also observed the predominance of situations regarding the development of practical classes (58%), when related to training (18.1%), practical examination (9.6%) and other activities (14.3%).