Making Clinical Placements utilizing Mezirow’s Transformative Theory of Adult Learning

Sheryl Cornelius

doi:10.33790/jcnrc1100150

Abstract

Adult learners in healthcare often go back to school while simultaneously working in a lower position so they may gain exposure to the area that they are seeking employment. For example, a nursing student may work part-time as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) while they are in school to become a registered nurse (RN). This quality improvement (QI) project cataloged a problem identified in an undergraduate nursing program where students were being assigned a clinical rotation on the same unit that they worked as a CNA. Faculty noticed these students were not transitioning to the role of RN as quickly as their classmates that were on unfamiliar units for clinical rotation. By using Mezirow’s Transformative Theory of Adult Learning and creating a disorienting dilemma for these students, a change in practice showed better outcomes for students in this transition. Students were able to achieve cognitive dissonance and change their worldview of the material by being placed on a unit for clinical in which they were unfamiliar.

Highlights

Adult learners go back to school for many reasons but generally it is to change their vocation or to move up in the employment setting- they are not going to be doing the same thing after they finish their degree
Nursing students often seek employment as a nursing assistant (CNA) while they are in school to become a registered nurse (RN)
Anecdotal conversations with each instructor gave like conclusions that the students on the same unit as they worked were having difficulty embracing the role of the RN because they could not take off the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) hat that was expected of them in this scenario.The researcher approached each student informally to discuss their role as a student on the assigned unit

Summary

Introduction

Adult learners go back to school for many reasons but generally it is to change their vocation or to move up in the employment setting- they are not going to be doing the same thing after they finish their degree. Nursing students often seek employment as a nursing assistant (CNA) while they are in school to become a registered nurse (RN). They enjoy being involved in the care setting and often are exposed to more relatable situations than their classmates that have employment outside the healthcare setting. Their instructors may overlook many of these students thinking they are farther ahead of their classmates. There is an unspoken assumption that these students have less difficulty transitioning to the new role because they are familiar with healthcare [9]. Research shows that nurses have a rockier transition because they must unlearn habits from one specialty area and relearn the new area [10]

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Results

Conclusion