An evaluation of the first year of a collaborative tertiary–industry curriculum as measured by students’ perception of their clinical learning environment

SummaryBackgroundIn response to the limitations identified through the transfer of nursing education to the tertiary setting this paper reports on an evaluation of a collaborative tertiary/industry programme established in response to recommendations arising from the National Review of Nursing Education – ‘Our duty of care’.AimThis study compared first year undergraduate student nurses’ perceptions of the psycho-social characteristics of their clinical learning environment as part of a tertiary–industry collaborative model with other first year undergraduate nursing students placed in a similar clinical learning environment as a block placement, separate from their home tertiary institution.MethodA survey design using the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory developed to assess student nurses’ perception of the psycho-social aspects of the clinical learning environment was used to collect the data.FindingsWhen the personalization score for the first year students of the tertiary–industry collaborative model is compared to other first year students’ experience in the clinical area there is a significant difference in personalization scores.DiscussionPersonalization, which refers to student’s perception of concern for their welfare and learning opportunities, is worthy of consideration, as it is often these perceptions that influence interest and commitment to learning in the undergraduate nursing program.