| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 366623 | Nurse Education in Practice | 2016 | 6 Pages |
•The preceptor must keep track of the level of each student and move forward from there in the practical education.•Reflection, continuity, communication and feedback were important for the students’ learning process.•The opportunity to work with other students and independently take care of one patient was experienced as very positive.•Heavy workload and being supervised by many different preceptors were experienced as stressful and hindering by students.
A supportive clinical learning environment is important for nursing students’ learning. In this study, a contract between a county and a university involving a preceptor model of clinical education for nursing students is described. The aim of this study was to describe nursing students’ clinical education based on quality indicators and to describe the students’ experiences of what facilitated or hindered the learning process during their clinical practice. During autumn 2012 and spring 2013, 269 student evaluations with quantitative and qualitative answers were filled out anonymously. Quantitative data from the questionnaires concerning the quality indicators: Administration/information, Assessments/examinations and Reflection were processed to generate descriptive statistics that revealed gaps in what the preceptor model demands and what the students reported. The answers from the qualitative questions concerning the quality indicator Learning were analysed using content analysis. Four categories emerged: Independence and responsibility, continuity of learning, time, and the competence and attitudes of the staff. The study underlines that reflection, continuity, communication and feedback were important for the students’ learning process, whereas heavy workload among staff and being supervised by many different preceptors were experienced as stressful and hindering by students.
