Abstract
Traditional models of clinical nursing education do not deliver the most effective learning experiences to undergraduate nursing students. An innovative way to clinically prepare nursing students is the use of dedicated education units (DEUs). This model utilizes staff nurses to provide supervision and hands-on teaching to students. The purpose of this project was to evaluate an evidence-based change from a traditional model of clinical instruction to a DEU. DEUs were implemented on three adult medical-surgical units. Two unpaired identical pre-DEU and post-DEU questionnaires were used to evaluate the practice change in both nursing students and staff nurse mentors. A total of 41 students and 22 nurses participated in the project. Students reported feeling comfortable, engaged, and satisfied in their clinical experiences on the DEU. Nurses' responses revealed the DEU to be a rewarding experience and found satisfaction in their role. The paradigm shift from traditional to DEU models has enhanced the quality of learning experiences for students and improved the professional environment for nurses at large academic medical institutions located in central Ohio. Implications for future inquiry include standardizing educational training/orientation programs for DEU staff nurse mentors.
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