How does the nature of setting influence clinical teaching? : the perceptions of pediatric and maternity clinical teachers

• Main Author: Davidson, Karen Ann
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6393

The nature of setting (context) as an influence of clinical teaching in nursing education has not been explored. As nursing educators in North America move to educate nursing students in a variety of settings, including non-traditional settings, there is a need to explore how context in traditional settings (i.e., hospitals), influence how clinical teachers teach. An ethnographic design was used to explore the perceptions of six clinical teachers who clinically taught in the specialty areas of pediatrics and maternity. The six volunteer participants were selected from community colleges/ universities in British Columbia which offer a Bachelors Degree in Nursing. Pratt's (1992) General Model of Teaching was used as the conceptual framework to guide the research design. The researcher in this study proposed a model of clinical teaching which considers the complexity of teaching in the context of the hospital setting. Analysis of the data revealed components of context (i.e., geography, culture, ideology and history) and relationships with individuals/groups and entities (professional organizations, institutions or hospital agencies) which influenced clinical teaching in a variety of ways. Factors which influenced clinical teachers in general were the history of nursing education, the agency, relationships between staff nurses, clinical teachers and students, the nature of the specialty area (i.e., pediatrics and maternity), and the unit. Cultural groups within the context of clinical teaching that became evident were various members of the health care team, students, and patient and families. Specific factors which influenced pediatrics and maternity differently were the nature of the patient, the influence of family at the bedside, and the unit/units of clinical learning. These findings have implications for nursing education and nursing research. It is hoped that this study will help nursing educators consider the factors and aspects prior to the placement of teachers and students on a particular clinical unit.