Development of the Clinical Learning Environment Comparison Survey

•The Clinical Learning Environment Comparison Survey (CLECS) is a valid and reliable tool.•Comparisons can be made between how well undergraduate nursing students perceive that their learning needs are met in the traditional and simulated learning environments.•The CLECS can be used as a guide to make changes in the simulation environment to improve perceived learning in six subscales: Holism, Teaching–Learning Dyad, Communication, Nursing Process, Self-Efficacy, and Critical Thinking.•The CLECS can be effectively used to evaluate individuals, courses, and programs.

BackgroundNursing educators and regulatory bodies need to better understand how well learning needs are met in traditional and simulated clinical environments.MethodThe Clinical Learning Environment Comparison Survey was developed for this purpose. A 103-item tool was designed and analyzed for reliability and validity.ResultsExpert panel, two pilot studies, and analysis of 422 completed surveys further refined the tool and six subscales: Holism, Teaching–Learning Dyad, Communication, Nursing Process, Self-Efficacy, and Critical Thinking.ConclusionThis valid and reliable tool can be used to determine how to improve the simulated clinical environment, as well as for individual, course, and program evaluation.