The emergence of a clinical skills laboratory and its impact on clinical learning: Undergraduate nursing students’ perspective in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background. Skills laboratory training is used as a teaching strategy to assist nursing students in developing clinical skills. This educational intervention assists nursing students to develop expertise in clinical skills to ensure the safe care of patients. Since the establishment of a new skills laboratory, the Department of Nursing Science, University of Limpopo, South Africa has not evaluated the impact of the laboratory on the clinical learning of nursing students. Objective. To explore and describe the impact of clinical skills laboratory sessions on undergraduate students in the department. Methods. Qualitative, descriptive research explored the impact of skills laboratory sessions on undergraduate students. Purposive sampling was used to select participants for the study. Unstructured one-on-one interview sessions were conducted and 12 students were interviewed until data saturation was reached. Thematic content was used for data analysis. Results. Three themes emerged: the impact of skills laboratory sessions on undergraduate nursing students; the existing benefits of skills laboratory learning sessions; and the importance v. insignificance of laboratory skills lecturers in clinical teaching. Conclusion. The study revealed that the clinical skills laboratory has a positive, diverse impact on the clinical learning of nursing students. The sessions should be integrated into the curriculum, as they aid in translating theory into practice. Nursing institutions must have a clinical skills laboratory, as they prepare student nurses for learning in a clinical area.