Exploring the barriers of utilizing theoretical knowledge in clinical settings: A qualitative study

Abstract

ObjectivesAlthough effective performance in clinical settings requires the integration between theory and practice, there is a gap between theoretical knowledge as taught in the classroom and what the students experience in clinical settings. This study aimed to elicit and explore the barriers of utilizing theoretical knowledge in clinical settings.MethodsA qualitative study was adopted with a conventional content analysis approach. Fifteen nursing and paramedic's students, faculty members and experienced nursing staff participated in the study. Data were collected by semi-structured individual interviews until data saturation and concurrently analyzed via MAXQDA 10.ResultsFive main categories emerged as barriers of utilizing theoretical knowledge in the clinical settings i.e. non-standard practices in clinical settings; lack of trust in clinical competence; lack of perceived professional support; insufficiencies in teaching and learning process; and differences between doing things in simulated and real clinical situations.ConclusionTransferring theory into practice in a structured manner requires professional support in the workplace, trust and the opportunity for direct experience, using valid and up-to-date knowledge by clinical staff and bridging the simulated situations with real life scenarios.

Supervised Internship: attributions and limitations from the perspective of nursing supervisors, faculty advisor and managers

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“…Nursing students traditionally receive their theoretical training in classrooms, where they develop evidence-based knowledge and improve their critical thinking that is applied in the clinical setting. However, there is a notable difference between what is taught in the classroom and what is experienced in clinical settings ( Ajani & Moez, 2011 ) concerning structural, pedagogical, and relational differences ( Hashemiparast et al, 2019 ;Shoghi et al, 2019 ). In this context, clinical simulation is especially useful for enabling nursing students to make positive contributions to their learning experience, thus helping to close the gap between theory and clinical experience ( Wall et al, 2014 ).…”

Target-Oriented Clinical Skill Enhancement (TOCSE) Is an Effective Tool to Bridge Didactic to Clinical Learning: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

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