‘Failure to fail’ in nursing – A catch phrase or a real issue? A systematic integrative literature review

Hughes, Lynda J.; Mitchell, Marion; Johnston, Amy N.B.

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2016.06.009

Cited by 58 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Inconsistency in decision‐making processes when it comes to placing a student on a learning contract has been identified (DeBrew & Lewallen, ). The lack of consistency creates tension and frustration, and influences the rigour and purpose of clinical education (Hughes, Mitchell, & Johnston, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gut feeling: A grounded theory study to identify clinical educators' reasoning processes in putting students on a learning contract

Hussein

Fast

2019

Journal of Clinical Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim To develop a substantive theoretical explanation that makes sense of the decision‐making process that clinical instructors use to place students on a learning contract. Background Clinical instructors are challenged with the task of objectively evaluating students using subjective tools such as anecdotal notes, diaries, unstructured observations and verbal feedback from other nurses. Clinical instructors' assessment decisions have a considerable impact on a variety of key stakeholders, not least of all students. Design Grounded theory method and its heuristic tools including the logic of constant comparison, continuous memoing and theoretical sampling to serve conceptualisation were used in the process of data collection and analysis. Methods Seventeen individual semi‐structured interviews with clinical instructors in one university in Western Canada were conducted between May 2016–May 2017. Data were analysed using open, axial and selective coding consistent with grounded theory methodology. The study was checked for the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) criteria (See Appendix S1). Findings Three subcategories, “brewing trouble,” “unpacking thinking” and “benchmarking” led to the study's substantive theoretical explanation. “Gut feeling” demonstrates how clinical instructors reason in their decision‐making process to place a student on a learning contract. Conclusion Placing a student on a learning contract is impacted by personal, professional and institutional variables that together shift the process of evaluation towards subjectivity, thus influencing students' competency. A system‐level approach, focusing on positive change through implementing innovative assessment strategies, such as using a smart phone application, is needed to provide some degree of consistency and objectivity. Relevance to clinical practice Making visible the objective assessments currently being done by clinical instructors has the potential to change organisational standards, which in turn impact patient and clinical outcomes.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gut feeling: A grounded theory study to identify clinical educators' reasoning processes in putting students on a learning contract

Hussein

Fast

2019

Journal of Clinical Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We proposed a model using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to support dimensionality and interpretation of the factors. Then, we tested a four‐factor model, based on the reviews of previous studies (Hauge, ; Hughes et al, ), in a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) framework. The Stata software, version 15, was used to analyse the data.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The primary role of the nurse mentor is not only to support the professional development of students, but also to prevent failing students from becoming registered nurses to safeguard the public from incompetent practitioners (Luhanga, Yonge, & Myrick, ). “Failing to Fail” is to pass a nursing student who does not display satisfactory clinical performances (Hughes, Mitchell, & Johnston, ). Research has examined whether mentors who assess practical competence are Failing to Fail students in their assessment (Black, ; Brown, Douglas, Garrity, & Shepard, ; Duffy, ,; Gainsbury, ; Hauge, ; Hughes et al, ; Luhanga et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…“Failing to Fail” is to pass a nursing student who does not display satisfactory clinical performances (Hughes, Mitchell, & Johnston, ). Research has examined whether mentors who assess practical competence are Failing to Fail students in their assessment (Black, ; Brown, Douglas, Garrity, & Shepard, ; Duffy, ,; Gainsbury, ; Hauge, ; Hughes et al, ; Luhanga et al, ). The purpose of this article was to explore the psychometric properties of a subject‐specific “Failing to Fail” questionnaire.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Failing to Fail student nurses in practical assessments is an international issue (Hunt, McGee, Gutteridge, & Hughes, ). Two literature reviews (Hauge, ; Hughes et al, ) indicate that most of the research on Failing to Fail is conducted with qualitative studies. A survey of Brown et al () found that 18% ( N = 1790) of the mentors confirmed that they had passed a failing student.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Failing to Fail nursing students among mentors: A confirmatory factor analysis of the Failing to Fail scale

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim The aim was to explore the psychometric properties with respect to the internal consistency reliability of the subject‐specific questionnaire “Failing to Fail.” Design Cross‐sectional study. Methods Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the “Failing to Fail” scale. The sample included 336 Norwegian nurse mentors. Results The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a five‐factor structure of the “Failing to Fail” scale with adequate model fit. The factors were named as: (a) Insufficient mentoring competence; (b) Insufficient support in the working environment; (c) Emotional process dominates the assessment; (d) Insufficient support from the university; and (e) Decision‐making detached from learning outcomes. The scale proved to be feasible to test whether mentors are Failing to Fail nursing students. The confirmatory factor analysis model supported the predictive validity of the “Failing to Fail” scale.

show abstract

Models of Practice Learning

Crozier¹

2021

Collaborative Learning in Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

‘Failure to fail’ in nursing – A catch phrase or a real issue? A systematic integrative literature review

Cited by 58 publications

References 29 publications

Gut feeling: A grounded theory study to identify clinical educators' reasoning processes in putting students on a learning contract

Gut feeling: A grounded theory study to identify clinical educators' reasoning processes in putting students on a learning contract

Failing to Fail nursing students among mentors: A confirmatory factor analysis of the Failing to Fail scale

Models of Practice Learning

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About