Abstract:
Globally, student frustration and attrition rates are declining, underscoring the importance of investigating the
academic and interpersonal challenges that students face after their first year. Objectives: exploring the experiences of National
University of Lesotho student nurses on their course of education. Method: A qualitative phenomenological research design was
used to conduct research at the National University of Lesotho. Data was collected using an unstructured interview guide in two
focus groups comprising all student nurses who are enrolled in the nursing and midwifery programme from their second year into
the programme. This study employed a stratified random sampling procedure to select its respondents. This study made use of
thematic analysis. Results: The results demonstrated clinical weariness caused by a severe workload. The tasks and
responsibilities assigned to the students, which they consider to be the duties of registered nurses, frequently leave them feeling
overburdened. Variations in clinical supervision experiences include negligence; some experience sexual abuse; and some
students find the clinical setting quite unpleasant and inappropriate. On the other hand, students expressed that they are
empowered by the current nursing curriculum to face the clinical challenges. Conclusion: Despite appreciating the faculty's
supportive and inspiring environment, students had conflicting emotions about the instructional approaches and learning
environments. There were variations in both instructional quality and clinical supervision
