Aim: The aim of the descriptive qualitative study was to analyse a clinical learning environment from the point of view of students, their experiences about clinical practice. The analysis was focused on how the students perceived their position in the workplace, identifying factors that positively or negatively affect their learning at the clinical workplace to provide greater insight for development an effective clinical teaching strategy in clinical nursing education. Design: Descriptive qualitative study. Methods: Focus group with 5 nursing students was used to obtain students' experiences about their clinical practice. The content of the focus group was divided into 4 categories. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results: Three basic themes were identified: Theory-practice gap; Inclusion/exclusion at a workplace; Individual support and supervision. Within the identified themes we formed 7 subthemes: Different approaches; Expectations and reality of clinical practice; Development of learning opportunities and interest in students; Exclusion from patient care; Knowledge about students’ competencies; Feed back and Individual supervision. Conclusions: Attitudes and behaviours of clinical staff impact on student learning. This paper has provided specific examples of obstructing and facilitating factors for development of learning in clinical practice. The students perceived lack of opportunities to practice and staff knowledge about students¢ learning outcomes and exclusion from patient care as obstructing factors. Individual supervision, recogniction ad appreciation of students as competent and trusted were indentified as facilitating factors..

Prešovská univerzita v Prešove Fakulta zdravotníckych odborov Katedra ošetrovateľstva

Clinical learning environment from nursing students' perspectives – a qualitative study

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