Clinical learning environment from perspective of nursing students: a qualitative interview study

Abstract

Objective To explore clinical learning environment from perspective of nursing students, so as to provide reference for improving clinical learning outcomes. Methods With hermeneutic phenomenology method recommended by Van Manen in qualitative study, in June 2016, 50 undergraduate nursing students who had finished 8 months or longer clinical practice were selected according to purpose of this study, and were divided into 8 groups. Focus group interview and deep individual interview were conducted to the students, with the data tape-recorded, and later transformed and analyzed. Results Three themes were extracted from the interview data: positive clinical learning environment, teaching strategies of preceptors and anxiety of the nursing students during clinical practice. Conclusions Communication between the university and the hospital should be enhanced, clinical learning environment be evaluated and supervised, training on teaching behavior of clinical teachers be enhanced and incentive mechanism be established. Nursing students should be offered enough respect by clinical staff so that their sense of belongingness can be enhanced. Key words: Students, nursing; Clinical practice; Learning environment; Qualitative interview