Clinical facilitation: undergraduate nurses' perceptions of best practice in an academic hospital in Johannesburg

• Main Author: Tenza, Immaculate Sabelile
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10539/18653

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.