The clinical seminar as a learning methodology: an evaluation of nursing students' views

Abstract

Objective: To explore students' assessments of the clinical seminar as a complementary teaching method to the clinical practicum experience. Methods: This was a qualitative study based on the hermeneutic phenomenology of Gadamer.Twenty-three open-ended interviews were conducted from among the 132 first-year students who attended an initial clinical practicum. We performed a qualitative analysis of the data using ATLAS.ti software. Results: The students agreed that the clinical seminar gave them the opportunity to learn about procedures, nursing care and interpersonal relationships. They also found it very helpful when they encountered challenging stressful situations as they performed their practice, and believed it allowed them to make a connection between the theory in the classroom and the clinical practice. Conclusions: These seminars can contribute to reducing levels of stress during clinical practice. They can also help students obtain significant learning from their fellows and reduce the theory-practice gap. Keywords: Clinical clerkship; Students, nursing; Problem-based learning RESUMOObjetivo: Avaliar a importância que os alunos atribuem ao seminário clínico como método de ensino complementar às práticas clínicas em estágio. Método: Estudo qualitativo baseado na fenomenologia hermenêutica de Gadamer. Foram realizadas 23 entrevistas abertas entre um universo de 132 alunos do primeiro ano da licenciatura de enfermagem, que assistiram a um seminário clínico, durante o seu primeiro ensino clínico/estágio. Foi realizada uma análise qualitativa dos dados através do software ATLAS.ti. Resultados: Os entrevistados coincidiram na opinião de que o seminário lhes deu oportunidades de aprendizagem sobre procedimentos, cuidados de enfermagem e relações interpessoais. Referiram também que o mesmo foi útil para lidar com situações estressantes e relacionar os conteúdos teóricos com a prática. Conclusões: Este tipo de seminários pode contribuir para a redução dos níveis de estresse durante a prática clínica, para a aquisição e partilha de aprendizagens significativas em grupo e para colmatar lacunas teórico-práticas. Descritores: Estágio clínico; Estudantes de enfermagem; Aprendizagem baseada em problemas RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar la importancia atribuida por los alumnos al seminario clínico como método de enseñanza complementaria a las prácticas clínicas. Método: Estudio cualitativo basado en la fenomenología hermenéutica de Gadamer. Se realizaron 23 entrevistas abiertas entre un universo de 132 alumnos del primer año del pregrado en enfermería, que asistieron a un seminario clínico, durante su primera enseñanza clínica/práctica. Se llevó a cabo un análisis cualitativo de los datos a través del software ATLAS.ti. Resultados: Los entrevistados coincidieron en la opinión de que el seminario les dio oportunidades de aprendizaje sobre procedimientos, cuidados de enfermería y relaciones interpersonlaes. Refirieron también que el mismo fue útil para lidiar con situaciones estresantes y relacionar los contenidos teór...

Use of seminars for teaching and learning in higher education: recommendations for business and management teaching

“…Some studies (e.g. Granero-Molina et al, 2012;Hofsten et al, 2010) from contemporary and more mature disciplines have also supported the reasons of why such seminars are or should be conducted. For example, exploring the experience of clinical practices, Granero-Molina et al (2012) revealed that seminars help student gain significant learning from their fellow students and minimise the theory-practice gap.…”

“…A handful of studies (e.g. Alderson et al, 2002;Davies, 2014;Granero-Molina et al, 2012;Hofsten et al, 2010;Zsohar and Smith, 2010) have also explored seminars in the specific context of nursing. For example, Davies (2014) examined the efficacy of using mobile technology (such as Apple iPad) more formally in facilitating enhanced levels of interaction and group cohesion within a series of tutorial sessions involving undergraduate nursing students.…”

“…The outcomes indicated that mobile computing platform of this type might help students to engage more fully with learning activities and materials and enhance student confidence using peer presentation and feedback. Analysing clinical seminar as a complementary learning method, Granero-Molina et al (2012) found that such seminars can contribute toward reducing levels of stress during clinical practice. They also facilitate students to obtain significant learning from their fellow students and lessen the theorypractice gap.…”

Using Web Simulation for Teaching and Learning about Critical Care: New Times and New Solutions

“…With regard to training nurses, the guidelines mean a commitment to new technologies, motivation and active participation from the students, theory-practice integration [3], distance learning [4] and simulation [5]. The incorporation of simulation exercises into nursing programs can provide many students with opportunities helping to improve learning outcomes.…”

“…Students who prepare using simulations in the laboratory prior to carrying out clinical internships have a better understanding of their learning experience, clearly improving their response when later faced with any type of event in real life. In this sense, it is sometimes the students themselves who demand better theory-practice training, something which both professors and clinical tutors have considerable difficulties to provide [3].…”