Clustering clinical learning environment and mentoring perceptions of nursing and midwifery students: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to explore nursing and midwifery students' evaluation of the clinical learning environment and mentoring and to identify distinct student profiles relating to their perceptions.Design: This study employed a cross-sectional design. Settings:The study population included nursing and midwifery students in a university hospital in Finland.Participants: All nursing and midwifery students who completed their clinical placement were invited to take part in the study in the academic year 2017-2018. Methods:The data (N=2609) were gathered through an online survey using the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale. The data were analyzed using a K-mean cluster algorithm to identify nursing and midwifery students' profiles. Results:The findings from this study indicate four distinct profiles (A, B, C and D) of nursing and midwifery students in relation to the clinical learning environment and mentoring. Profile A (N=1352) students evaluated their clinical learning environment and mentoring to the highest level (mean varied from 9.44 to 8.38); and Profile D (N=151)-to the lowest (mean varied from 5.93 to 4.00). Conclusion:The findings highlight that nursing and midwifery students evaluate their clinical learning environment and mentoring more highly when: they have a named mentor, student and mentor discuss learning goals, there is a final assessment in clinical learning, the mentor's guidance skills support student learning, the clinical learning supports the student's Accepted ArticleThis article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved professional development and pre-clinical teaching in an educational institution supports learning in the clinical placement. Impact: Clinical learning plays an important role in nurse and midwifery education.Mentoring of clinical practice was shown to have a great influence on students' perceptions of their success in clinical learning. We suggest that clinical practice should be strengthened by the building of collaboration between nursing teachers and registered nurses.

Clinical learning environment and graduating nursing students' competence: A multi‐country cross‐sectional study

“…A significant and positive correlation was found between every competence category and every CLES sub‐dimension, highlighting the strongest association between the Helping role and Pedagogical atmosphere on the ward and the Supervisory relationship. All in all, similar to earlier studies (Saarikoski et al, 2007; Saukkoriipi et al, 2020), in this study the supervisory relationship and a good mentor were found to be some of the main elements supporting students' competence development. Moreover, it seems that in the future, the mentors' role will be even greater as the role of teachers is decreasing as a result of diminishing resources in many countries (Immonen et al, 2019).…”

“…In addition, private scheduled supervision sessions with the mentor during the practicum have been found meaningful (Immonen et al, 2019;Saukkoriipi et al, 2020); however, in this study, in some countries the students did not have any sessions of this kind, which might influence graduating nursing students' perceptions. In a clinical education ward, mentors discuss and reflect continuously with the students, helping them to find answers to problems related to patient care, which supports students' competence development (Manninen et al, 2015).…”

“…In some countries, the students had no mentor at all. Students with a named mentor have been more satisfied with their supervisory relationship and clinical learning environment in previous studies (Antohe et al, 2016;Saukkoriipi et al, 2020). However, in a recent review (Forber et al, 2016), no single optimal mentoring model was found.…”

“…Clinical learning is a vital part of nursing education that challenges nursing students' critical thinking, decision‐making, independence, responsibility, and use of evidence‐based knowledge (EC, 2013; Pitkänen et al, 2018). A successful clinical practicum is also important for students' professional development (Saukkoriipi et al, 2020). Good quality for the clinical learning environment has been found to consist of the pedagogical atmosphere on the ward, supervisory relationship, leadership style of the ward manager, and the premises of nursing on the ward (Saarikoski, Isoaho, Warne, & Leino‐Kilpi, 2008; Saukkoriipi et al, 2020).…”

“…A successful clinical practicum is also important for students' professional development (Saukkoriipi et al, 2020). Good quality for the clinical learning environment has been found to consist of the pedagogical atmosphere on the ward, supervisory relationship, leadership style of the ward manager, and the premises of nursing on the ward (Saarikoski, Isoaho, Warne, & Leino‐Kilpi, 2008; Saukkoriipi et al, 2020). The final clinical practicum before graduation is the last chance for nursing students to get prepared for the upcoming transition (Kaihlanen et al, 2020; Wu, Enskär, Lee, & Wang, 2015).…”