Recognition for registered nurses supporting students on clinical placement: a grounded theory study

Abstract

Objective: This study examined registered nurses’ perspectives of being supportive of nursing students and providing them with learning opportunities when on clinical placements. Background: In Australia, as part of their three-year Bachelors degree, undergraduate nursing students undertake a minimum of 800 hours of clinical placement. During these clinical placement hours, nursing students are supervised by registered nurses who are required to be supportive of the students and provide them with learning opportunities. Study design and methods: This study used a grounded theory approach. In this qualitative study there were fifteen registered nurse participants. Thirteen participants were female participants and two were male. Participants were individually interviewed. Transcripts from these in–depth interviews were analysed using constant comparative analysis. Results: The major category, an added extra, emerged from this study. An added extra is about registered nurses’ perception that having a student is an added extra to their daily duties. The major category an added extra is informed by three emergent themes. The first theme was time, the second theme was workload and the third theme was wanting recognition. Discussion: Registered nurses perceived that their workloads tend not to be taken into consideration when they have nursing students. The literature suggests that nursing students often miss out on learning opportunities when they are on clinical placement because registered nurses do not have additional time to effectively support students’ clinical learning. Conclusion: Participants in this study believed being supportive of nursing students and providing them with learning opportunities was an added extra to their daily nursing duties. Findings revealed registered nurses want to be recognised for the extra time and effort they dedicate to students’ learning.

A systematic review of preceptor's experience in supervising undergraduate nursing students: Lessons learned for mental health nursing

“…The key finding in the majority of the studies were preceptorship is time‐consuming. Out of 14 papers included in this review, nine studies reported preceptorship as a time‐consuming activity (Anderson et al, 2020; Broadbent et al, 2014; Burke et al, 2016; Cassidy et al, 2012; Cusack et al, 2020; Haitana & Bland, 2011; Kalischuk et al, 2013; McCarthy & Murphy, 2010; Wu et al, 2016). Preceptors are supervising students along with their regular responsibility on the ward (Kalischuk et al, 2013).…”

“…Preceptors are supervising students along with their regular responsibility on the ward (Kalischuk et al, 2013). Anderson et al (2020) reports that supervising a student requires extra time and energy.…”

“…Teaching and supporting students and junior staff are seen to be an important part of general practice and is required as part of maintaining nursing registration (Nursing and Midwifery Board APHRA, 2020). Preceptoring is seen to be a time-consuming role and often complicated when students are slow to complete given activities (Anderson et al, 2020). Students lack confidence on the ward may be due to anxiety and the unfamiliar circumstances of being on clinical placement in a new hospital or clinical environment (Haitana & Bland, 2011).…”

“…Recommendations to manage the workload included reducing the patient loads for preceptors for the period of placement. Anderson et al (2020) and Kalischuk et al (2013), provide clear objectives and easy-to-use assessment tool to preceptors well in advance (Kalischuk et al, 2013). In addition, preceptors require extra time to be with their students and a suitable place to provide constructive feedback.…”

“…Studies also indicated there was a need for recognition of preceptor's hard work (Anderson et al, 2020;Cusack et al, 2020).…”