Clinical environment as a learning environment: student nurses’ perceptions concerning clinical learning experiences

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to describe student nurses’ perceptions of clinical learning experiences in the context of the clinical learning environment. We use the phenomenological approach by Colaizzi. The data was collected by unstructured interviews. Altogether 16 student nurses were asked to describe the significance of clinical learning experiences and good and bad learning experiences. Four elements sum up these clinical learning experiences: the appreciation and support the students received, the quality of mentoring and patient care, and students’ self-directedness. Student nurses valued clinical practice and the possibilities it offered in the process of growing to become a nurse and a professional. A good clinical learning environment was established through good co-operation between the school and the clinical staff. It was concluded that the school should be able to provide a suitable clinical learning environment at the right time, so that theory and practice would complement each other. The teacher was the expert on nursing education, the aims set for each practice, as well as student nurses and their skills, but then again the nurse mentor knew the ward on which students were practicing. This was why collaboration between nurse mentors and nurse teachers was considered very necessary.

Section snippets

Introduction and literature

This paper is based on the data collected in a joint research venture undertaken by the School of Health and Social Care of Jyväskylä Polytechnic in Finland and the Chung Sang Medical and Dental College in Taichung, Taiwan.1 The purpose of the study is to describe the Finnish student nurses’ experiences and perceptions of the clinical environment as a learning environment. The interest in studying this area arose from the continuous

Method

A qualitative approach was used in this study because of its applicability in the research of lived experiences (Beyea & Nicoll 1997, Sim 1998, Oiler Boyd 2000). There are many different methods of qualitative research that can be used to understand and give meaning to lived experiences. Edmund Husserl (1859–1938) is often considered the father of phenomenology (Jasper 1994, Koch 1995, Paley 1997). Husserl’s phenomenology represents a philosophical perspective and not a method, this causes

The clinical environment as a learning environment

Suitable surroundings for clinical practice were vital for good learning experiences, albeit one could also learn from bad experiences. A good clinical learning environment was described as being one where there was good co-operation between the staff members, a good atmosphere, and where student nurses were regarded as younger colleagues. If a good ward carried out care according to a good care philosophy, it enhanced learning. The conduct on the ward was in accordance with the quality

Discussion

The relatively small sample from one polytechnic as well as the qualitative nature of the study limit the generalizability of the results. Despite these limitations, the study offers valuable insights into student nurses’ lived experiences concerning the learning environment in clinical practice. The present study results are much in accordance with the recent researches available on the topic, referred to in this article, and the writing of Koh (2002), who cites and discusses the current

Conclusions and implications for practice

Student nurses highly value clinical practice and the possibilities it offers in the process of growing to become a nurse and a professional. First and foremost, it is important to recognize all the aspects involved in patient care. The school should be able to provide a suitable clinical learning environment at the right time, so that theory and practice would complement each other. This would make it possible to attain the goals set, on the one hand, and to offer the student enough

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