From care to caring. Using Bourdieu to explore care experienced students journeys into and through nurse education

ABSTRACT Care experienced students are among the least represented university students and are more likely to undertake vocational courses in post-92 universities. This study aims to provide insight into understanding more about the journeys of five care experienced students into, through and beyond nurse education. Data was collected using individual narrative interviews and was analysed thematically using Bourdieu’s theory of practice. The findings reveal that primary and secondary habitus are important in shaping aspirations for university, but equally work on the self-helped the students accumulate academic capitals which enabled them to enter the university field. Whilst there remains debate about the extent to which vocational education challenges structural inequality, for these five students their nurse education had a transformational impact and allowed them to achieve their aspirations of joining the nursing profession and move from care to caring.