| Summary: | A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Nursing.
Johannesburg, 2015 === Clinical teaching is considered as an essential and very important part of the undergraduate
nursing curriculum, as it allows nursing students to apply the theoretical knowledge they learn
in the classroom and transfer it into real life situations. According to the new model of Clinical
Nursing Education and Training in South Africa, clinical teaching should make up 70% of the
undergraduate nursing curriculum. Nursing students spend their time in the clinical practicum
learning the skills and values of the nursing profession, with the goal of achieving the clinical
learning outcomes as prescribed by their nursing education institution and the South African
Nursing Council. During this time, nursing students depend on clinical facilitators to facilitate
their clinical learning in order for them to meet their objectives effectively.
Purpose of the study
The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of undergraduate nursing
students, regarding the best practice of clinical facilitation of their learning, in their clinical
practicum.
Research methods
A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study was conducted. It explored the views of the
undergraduate nursing students regarding best practice clinical facilitation of their learning in
an academic hospital. Three focus groups were conducted consisting of 24 participants in total.
The interview question was: As student nurses what do you think constitutes best practice
in your clinical practicum experience with regard to clinical facilitation? Field notes were
written and data was analysed using Creswell’s qualitative data analysis method.
Main Findings
Three main themes emerged with 13 subthemes and a thick, dense description of the results is
presented. Undergraduate nurses’ perceptions of best practice in clinical facilitation were
identified relating to facilitation of clinical learning in the nursing skills laboratory and
facilitation of clinical learning in the patient care areas, including the methods of learning such
as preceptorship, questioning, nursing rounds and inter-professional discussion.
Pre-contact preparation of nursing students for simulation of procedures, use of teaching aids
and grouping students into smaller groups during skills demonstrations were all identified as
best practices for clinical learning in the nursing skills laboratory. Standardisation of procedures
between the university and the clinical practice areas and availability of nurse educators from
the university to support the nursing students in the clinical areas were identified as facilitating
factors for clinical learning in the patient care areas. Implications of these results are discussed
and recommendations provided to promote best practice clinical facilitation of student learning
in their clinical practicum.
Conclusion
In order to achieve best practice clinical facilitation of undergraduate clinical learning, certain
measures must be put in place in both simulation and patient care areas. There is a need to
ensure effective pre-contact planning of clinical training sessions, including teaching methods
and ensuring small group learning. The findings advocate the need for nurse educators to be
closely involved in clinical accompaniment to assist in theory–practice integration. It was also
revealed that a collaborative effort towards clinical teaching is necessary from all categories of
clinical facilitators in order to achieve best practice clinical facilitation of undergraduate
students.
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