Perceptions and Experiences of Written Feedback of Nursing Students

Background: Written feedback is known to enhance students' learning. However, the effectiveness of feedback is determined by the quality of feedback and the students' receptivity towards written feedback. This study aimed to explore students' experiences of written feedback in the nursing degree programmes in Karachi Pakistan.

Method: A descriptive exploratory design was used in the study. The study comprised of 379 nursing students from nine nursing institutions. Students filled out the questionnaire that had open ended questions regarding the current practices of written feedback. They also provided suggestions for improving these practices in their institutions. Nearly 93% of the students responded to the open ended questions. The information was than manually analyzed for categories and subcategories.

Findings: Student shared numerous experiences and suggestions regarding written feedback. Five categories were extracted from students' narratives. These included: merit of verbal and written feedback; quantity and quality of the feedback including need for personalized feed-forward; care for students' self- esteem; teachers' competence for written feedback; and consistency in feedback practices.

Conclusion: The findings of this study have implications for teachers, students and institutions similar to the context of this study. Teachers need to be aware of the role and impact of written feedback on students' learning and develop competence for giving effective feedback. Polices need to be developed to enhance the effectiveness of written feedback practices.