Improving the quality of nursing students' clinical placements in nursing homes: An evaluation study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore students' experiences during their clinical placements in five nursing homes after implementing measures to improve the learning environment. It is vital to stimulate more future nurses to consider a career within geriatric wards and nursing homes. One way to achieve this, is to enhance nursing students' learning experiences during clinical placements in these settings. Measures to improve the learning environment were implemented as a result of a joint effort between a university college and five nursing homes. An explorative design was developed to collect empirical data concerning the students' experiences expressed through questionnaires and logs. The results generally conveyed more positive than negative experiences. Students expressed most satisfaction with peer collaboration, the placement's contribution to awareness of future nursing role and described the learning arena as exciting and interesting. They expressed less satisfaction with supervision from preceptor and how the practice site was prepared for and organized students' placements. Clinical placement arenas and educational institutions should collaborate closely to explore and develop models of supervision appropriate for the nursing home context, to build on existing potentials and resolve the issues that represent barriers for creating interesting and effective learning environments.

Nursing Students' Perception regarding Clinical Training of Community Health Nursing Using Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure Inventory

“…This was in agreement with Brynildsen et al, (2014) (18) who stated that most students were satisfied with the learning environment in the nursing homes in an explorative study designed to collect empirical data between the fall of 2008 and summer of 2010.…”

Characteristics of a critical care clinical placement programme affecting critical care nursing competency of baccalaureate nursing students: A structural equation modelling

“…Adequate orientation increases both knowledge and attitude and values since it cognitively prepares students for clinical placement (Anarado, Agu, & Nwonu, ; Grace & O’Niel, ; Haraldseid, Friberg, & Aase, ). Normally, students are scared and apprehensive (Brynildsen et al, ) of being assigned to a new unit. These feelings may be due to the numerous, yet unclear expectations they have to meet (Haraldseid et al, ) and the lack of understanding on how to function in the new unit (Sun et al, ).…”

“…The design of clinical placement programmes differs among institutions. Nonetheless, certain features must be considered to maximise a student’s learning and groom them “practice‐ready.” Studies have shown that a clinical placement with longer unit exposure (Claeys et al, ) has smaller mentor–student ratio (Claeys et al, ; McInnes, Peters, Hardy, & Halcomb, ) and provides student preparation before unit rotation (Brynildsen, Bjørk, Berntsen, & Hestetun, ; Ford et al, ; Sun et al, ; Wallin, Fridlund, & Thoren, ) is conducive for positive learning. Moreover, a single mentor who specialises in the field of assignment is viewed as promotive of experiential learning (Claeys et al, ; Wallin et al, ).…”

“…Albeit literature presents the characteristics of a promotive clinical placement (Brynildsen et al, ; Ford et al, ; Hunter & Arthur, ; Levett‐Jones, Pitt, Courtney‐Pratt, Harbrow, & Rossiter, ; McInnes et al, ; Sun et al, ; Wallin et al, ), evidence supporting such influence remains inadequate. Few studies also focused on the characteristics of a clinical placement programme in the critical care units, a hospital area that is different and overwhelming for baccalaureate student nurses.…”

A collaborative approach to developing student placements in care homes

“…This means that students undertaking these placements may not have the aptitude or opportunity to develop insight into the complexity of CH care, or how CHs fit into the integrated health and social care agenda. Brynildsen et al (2014) propose that problems arise in cases where students are not well supported by CH staff or expert university staff. The authors argue that in these circumstances, students are less likely to maximise placement potential to support learning about the complexities of long-term care nursing.…”