Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: Although education is one of the most substantial needs of patients that should be
taught by nurses and midwives, it is not clearly defined through the hidden curriculum in students’
teaching programs. The aim of this study was to explore the patient education through the hidden
curriculum in the perspectives of nursing and midwifery students.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative, content analysis study was performed and twenty nursing
and midwifery students were interviewed. Data were collected using face‑to‑face semi‑structured
interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis approach.
RESULTS: Students’ perception of the hidden curriculum in patient education emerged in three
main themes concerning: (1) interactions, (2) teaching and learning opportunities, and (3) reflective
evaluation.
CONCLUSIONS: The hidden curriculum in patient education can be transferred as interactions
between professors, students, nurses, doctors, and also patients who are rooted from paying attention
to the human dimension of the patient, avoiding the materialistic treatment of the patient and treating
the patient with dignity. Educational policies and students’ assignments should be designed based on
the patient’s educational goals and the goal of evaluation has to be presented to the students clearly.

Abstract Background: Students tend to internalize and perpetuate the patterns of behavior and
the values surrounding them. Review of literature showed that there are several student
learning sources through the hidden curriculum, but they have not been identified in nursing
yet. Hence, the purpose of this study is explanation of learning resources in the hidden
curriculum in the view of baccalaureate nursing students. Materials and Methods: This
qualitative study was carried out in 2012 with the participation of 32 baccalaureate
nursing students in Nursing and Midwifery College of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of
Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran by purposeful sampling strategies. Data were collected
by semi‑structured interviews and continued to the level of data saturation and themes’
emergence. Data analysis was performed through inductive content analysis method.
Result: “Instructor as the unique learning element,” “various learning resources in the
clinical setting,” and “instructive nature of the education environment” were extracted as
the main themes, each of which incorporated some categories. Conclusion: Baccalaureate
undergraduate nursing students learnt the hidden curriculum by the resources such as
instructors, resources existing in the clinical setting, and the university campus. Therefore,
more research is recommended for the identification of other resources. In order to promote
positive messages and reduce the negative messages of the hidden curricula running at
academic and clinical settings, nursing educators and nurses need to learn more about
this issue in the nursing profession.