Critical care specialist nurses’ psychological experience during training in China: a descriptive qualitative study

Aim: To explore the psychological experiences and feelings of Chinese nurses undergoing critical care specialty training, providing a reference for optimizing training models and guiding professional development. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was adopted. A total of 20 nurses who completed critical care specialty training were selected using a maximum variation purposive sampling method (to ensure diversity in age, hospital grade, and department). Data were collected through 15 one-on-one semi-structured in-depth interviews and 1 focus group interview (5 participants). The focus group was used for data triangulation to confirm consistency with individual interview findings. Each interview lasted 30-45 min. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi's 7-step phenomenological method (the sole analytical framework) with NVivo 11 Plus for coding assistance. Results: Three categories of psychological experiences with nine themes were identified: positive experiences (4 themes): perceived improvement in professional theoretical knowledge; enhanced clinical thinking abilities; expanded career planning; and experience of a comfortable humanistic environment. Negative experiences (2 themes): mismatch between training content/methods and personal needs; high psychological stress from assessments, leadership expectations, and peer competition. Mixed (ambivalent) experiences (3 themes): crowded training venues but well-equipped facilities; incomplete investment of effort during training but high satisfaction with personal performance; non-proactive participation in training but no resistance to it. Conclusion: Chinese critical care specialty training helps nurses perceive improvements in professional competence and career prospects, but is accompanied by unmet individual needs and psychological stress. Training organizers should design individualized curricula, increase clinical practice opportunities, and provide targeted psychological support to optimize training effectiveness.