Background/Aim. Clinical learning is a main part of nursing education. Students’ exposure to clinical learning environment is one of the most important factors affecting the teaching-learning process in clinical settings. Identifying challenges of nursing students in the clinical learning environment could improve training and enhance the quality of its planning and promotion of the students. We aimed to explore Iranian nursing students’ challenges in the clinical learning environment. Materials and Methods. Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during
This is a qualitative study using the content analysis approach. The participants consisted of seventeen nursing students and three nursing instructors. The participants were selected through purposive sampling method and attended semistructured interviews and focus groups. Results. Three themes emerged after data analysis, including ineffective communications, inadequate readiness, and emotional reactions. Conclusion. Nursing students in Iran are faced with many challenges in the clinical learning environment. All challenges identified in this study affected the students’ learning in clinical setting. Therefore, we recommend that the instructors prepare students with a specific focus on their communication and psychological needs.Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.
1. Introduction
Nurses’ competence is based on the knowledge and skill taught to them [1]. Nursing training is a combination of theoretical and practical learning experiences that enable nursing students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for providing nursing care [2]. Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.Nursing education is composed of two complementary parts: theoretical training and practical training [3]. A large part of nursing education is carried out in clinical environments [4]. In Iran and many other countries, clinical education forms more than half of the formal educational courses in nursing [5]. Therefore, clinical education is considered to be an essential and integral part of the nursing education program [6]. Since nursing is a performance-based profession, clinical learning environments play an important role in the acquisition of professional abilities and train the nursing students to enter the nursing profession and become a registered nurse [7]. Moreover, the clinical area of nursing education is of great importance for nursing students in the selection or rejection of nursing as a profession [8].Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.
Unlike classroom education, clinical training in nursing occurs in a complex clinical learning environment which is influenced by many factors [9]. This environment provides an opportunity for nursing students to learn experimentally and to convert theoretical knowledge to a variety of mental, psychological, and psychomotor skills which are of significance for patient care [10]. Students’ exposure and preparation to enter the clinical setting are one of the important factors affecting the quality of clinical education [11].Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.
Since an optimal clinical learning environment has a positive impact on the students’ professional development, a poor learning environment can have adverse effects on their professional development process [8]. The unpredictable nature of the clinical training environment can create some problems for nursing students [12].Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.
The researchers’ experience in the nursing clinical education reveals that nursing students’ behaviors and performances change in the clinical setting. This change can negatively affect their learning, progress in patient care, and professional performance. Identifying problems and challenges with which these students are faced in the clinical learning environment can help stakeholders solve these problems and contribute to them becoming professional as well as their professional survival [11].Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.
Failure to identify the challenges and problems the students are faced with in the clinical learning environment prevents them from effective learning and growth. As a result, the growth and development of their skills will be influenced [4]. Studies show that the students’ noneffective exposure to the clinical learning environment has increased dropout rates. Some nursing students have left the profession as a result of challenges they face in the clinical setting [13].Clinical problems or issues Nurses face during practicum.
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