All in a day's work : student nurses' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a corporate workplace context

[摘要] Introduction: Exposure to the clinical learning environment forms an essential partof nursing education. Individual student perceptions of this multi-dimensional contextcan greatly influence their clinical learning experiences. Insight into theseperceptions may assist nurse educators in facilitating optimal learning outcomes.Aim: The aim of this study was to promote an awareness of the possible impact ofvarious aspects of the clinical learning environment and nursing students'perceptions thereof, on their learning experiences; and to generate guidelines forfacilitating optimal learning outcomes.Methods: A qualitative, interpretive study, investigating nine individual second-yearnursing students, was undertaken in a private hospital in South Africa. Interviewtranscripts were thematically analyzed.Results: Four themes and eleven sub-themes emerged, highlighting the impact ofstudent nurses' perceptions of the various aspects of the clinical learning environment ontheir learning experiences.Discussion: The impact of students' perceptions of the clinical learning environment ontheir learning experiences is discussed. Recommendations are provided for measures toincrease the focus on student-centered learning in the selected clinical context.Conclusion: The challenge remains to best prepare students for the complexities anddynamics of the workplace learning environment, while at the same time modifying thisenvironment to effectively meet students' learning needs.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University