Collaboration In Implementing Problem Based Learning For Nursing Education

Abstract

Background: Problem based learning is advocate as teaching strategy for development of the 21st century health care practitioners. Collaborative partnerships are much-touted values in organizational life today
 Purpose: To explore and describe the perceptions of nurse educators and manager on collaboration in implementing PBL in nursing education in South African context
 Methodology: An exploratory sequential mixed method was used to collect data from purposively recruited participants from three of the five South African universities implementing PBL in nursing education and three North-West Provincial hospitals where PBL students are place for clinical learning. Ethical clearance certificate is NWU-00033-11-A9
 Results: Both qualitative and quantitative data indicated the need for various types of collaboration; benefits of collaboration to staff, students, organizations and health care users; factors to successful collaboration in implementing PBL
 Conclusions: Successful implementation of PBL can be achieved through collaboration of clinical spaces. The strategic management and leadership should be committed to the collaboration by offering support and commitment of time, energy and resources. 
 Recommendations For practice, the strategic management and leadership should be committed to the collaboration by offering support, commitment of time, energy and resources. Effective communication should be to promote participation in the collaboration. Further research on collaboration in implementing PBL at different levels of operations; cultural influences on collaboration; criteria to assess effectiveness of collaboration is necessary.