The process of addressing fundamental needs by nursing students during internship: A qualitative study

Aim: This study explores how nursing students address patients' fundamental needs during their internships, identifying key processes and challenges. Background: The Fundamentals of Care framework emphasizes a holistic, person-centered approach to nursing by addressing patients' physical, psychosocial and relational needs. However, its integration into nursing education remains limited, with a stronger focus on technical competencies rather than fundamental care. Design: Qualitative descriptive study. Methods: The study was conducted within the FoC-Form project in northern Italy. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with first- and second-year nursing students following their internships. Thematic analysis was applied to identify emerging themes and patterns. Results: Four themes emerged: personal resources, care dynamics, contextual features and characteristics of the internship program. Students highlighted the importance of time management, relational aspects and mentoring in delivering fundamental care. Differences between first- and second-year students wereobserved in their clinical reasoning and approach to patient-centered care. Organizational factors such as workload and staffing also influenced their ability to meet fundamental needs. Conclusion: This study highlighted the critical role of mentorship and organizational support in fostering the integration of the Fundamentals of Care framework in nursing practice. Findings suggest the need for curriculum enhancements that balance technical training with the relational and holistic aspects of patient care. Nursing leadership should prioritize creating supportive environments that facilitate fundamental care practices.