Nursing Students' and Preceptors' Experiences with Using an Assessment Tool for Feedback and Reflection in Supervision of Clinical Skills: A Qualitative Pilot Study.

Hilde Plathe,Elisabeth Solheim,Hilde Eide,Mojtaba Vaismoradi

doi:10.1155/2021/5551662

Hilde Plathe, Elisabeth Solheim + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5551662

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Abstract

Background There is a need to improve students' learning in clinical practice. Undergraduate students need guidance when it comes to transferring knowledge from the classroom to clinical practice in community health services. Competence Development of Practical Procedures (COPPs), a simulation assessment tool, was used to explore students' and preceptors' experiences with feedback and reflection during the supervision of clinical skills in real practice. Method This was a pilot study with a qualitative exploratory and descriptive research design. Four students in their first year of a bachelor's programme in nursing and four preceptors participated. Data were collected from eight clinical skills performance assessments, audio recordings of supervision, and open-ended questionnaires. Data were systematized, categorized, and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings. Participants' experiences were divided into five categories: “learning environment, an atmosphere of respect, acceptance, and encouragement,” “students' reflections on their own personal learning,” “students' reflections on various care situations,” and “students' and preceptors' assessment and feedback.” Participants found COPPs easy to use and providing structure for assessment, feedback, and reflection during supervision. Concepts related to learning clinical skills became visible for both students and preceptors and helped students assess their performance of clinical skills. Through verbalization and reflection in supervision, participants established a consensus around what students knew and what they needed to learn. Conclusions The students and preceptors experienced the tool as a supportive structure to enhance feedback and reflection for the learning of clinical skills in municipal healthcare services. COPPs filled a gap in practice by providing a language for students and preceptors to articulate their knowledge and increasing students' awareness of what constitutes a good performance. The tool supported the coherence of concepts, enhanced clinical reasoning, and promoted deeper thinking and reflection, and the students gained insight into their own needs related to learning clinical skills.

Highlights

Nursing is a practice-based discipline, and clinical placement is a vital part of nursing education in bachelor’s programmes
Five main categories emerged based from the qualitative data analyses: “learning environment, an atmosphere of respect, acceptance, and encouragement,” “students’ reflection on their own personal learning,” “students’ reflection on various patient-care situations,” “students’ and preceptors’ assessment and feedback,” and “students’ and preceptors’ experiences of using Competence Development of Practical Procedures (COPPs) in clinical practice.”
Students and preceptors met for supervision and used COOP to discuss and assess discussion the students’ performance. e results revealed that all the students were open to sharing their experience about practicing skills in various patient-care situations using COPPs. ey were sometimes concerned about the quality of their care in personal hygiene and believed that patients may have noticed their lack of confidence

Summary

Introduction

Nursing is a practice-based discipline, and clinical placement is a vital part of nursing education in bachelor’s programmes. Aim. e aim of this pilot study was to explore students’ and preceptors’ experiences of using COPPs as a tool for supporting feedback and reflection during supervision of clinical skills in real practice. COPPs gives a structure for performance of clinical skills and was used for reflection before action and to help the students and preceptors make a plan and discuss the concepts in the tool.

Results

Conclusion