Experiences of Master's Degree Nursing Students in the Thesis Process: A Qualitative Study.

AIM: This study examined the thesis experiences of master's degree nursing students who had completed their thesis research and writing and were awaiting their thesis defence. BACKGROUND: Examining the thesis process from students' perspectives is important because this process forms a central component of postgraduate nursing education. METHODS: This descriptive qualitative study was conducted at a health sciences institute in western Turkey. The sample consisted of 10 master's degree nursing students. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis method. FINDINGS: Four themes emerged: (1) the challenging journey of the thesis process, (2) resources for survival during the thesis process, (3) dynamics of the advisor-student relationship, and (4) being a thesis student: building an identity.The findings highlight the need for institutional mechanisms and effective academic advising to support resilience in postgraduate nursing education. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that academic advising should be approached as part of a broader institutional support system designed to improve the quality of graduate nursing education and protect student well-being. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Graduate programmes should integrate pre-thesis preparation seminars, structured mentoring, advisor training, psychological support pathways, and research-skill development into the curriculum. For clinically employed students, collaboration between universities and healthcare institutions is needed to provide workload and scheduling flexibility during intensive thesis periods.