Supporting nursing student supervision: An assessment of an innovative approach to supervisor support

Constructing an evaluation index system for clinical nursing practice teaching quality using a Delphi method and analytic hierarchy process-based approach

BACKGROUND

The key step in evaluating the quality of clinical nursing practice education lies in establishing a scientific, objective, and feasible index system. Current assessments of clinical teaching typically measure hospital learning environments, classroom teaching, teaching competency, or the internship quality of nursing students. As a result, clinical evaluations are often insufficient to provide focused feedback, guide faculty development, or identify specific areas for clinical teachers to implement change and improvement. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to to construct a scientific, systematic, and clinically applicable evaluation index system of clinical nursing practice teaching quality and determine each indicator's weight to provide references for the scientific and objective evaluation of clinical nursing practice teaching quality.

METHODS

Based on the "Structure-Process-Outcome" theoretical model, a literature review and Delphi surveys were conducted to establish the evaluation index system of clinical nursing practice teaching quality. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to determine the weight of each indicator.

RESULTS

The effective response rate for the two rounds of expert surveys was 100%. The expert authority coefficients were 0.961 and 0.975, respectively. The coefficient of variation for the indicators at each level ranged from 0 to 0.25 and 0 to 0.21, and the Kendall harmony coefficients were 0.209 and 0.135, respectively, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). The final established index system included 3 first-level, 10 second-level, and 29 third-level indicators. According to the weights computed by the AHP, first-level indicators were ranked as "Process quality" (39.81%), "Structure quality" (36.67%), and "Outcome quality" (23.52%). Among the secondary indicators, experts paid the most attention to "Teaching staff" (23.68%), "Implementation of teaching rules and regulations (14.14%), and "Teaching plans" (13.20%). The top three third-level indicators were "Level of teaching staff" (12.62%), "Structure of teaching staff" (11.06%), and "Implementation of the management system for teaching objects" (7.54%).

CONCLUSION

The constructed evaluation index system of clinical nursing practice teaching quality is scientific and reliable, with reasonable weight. The managers' focus has shifted from outcome-oriented to process-oriented approaches, and more focus on teaching team construction, teaching regulations implementation, and teaching design is needed to improve clinical teaching quality.

A scoping review of clinical skill development of preregistration registered nurses in Australia and five other English-speaking countries

AIM

The aim of this scoping review is to synthesise current evidence around the clinical skill development of preregistration registered nurses (RNs) in Australia, United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, United States (US), Canada and New Zealand, to inform nurse education, policy and clinical practice.

BACKGROUND

Nursing is a practical profession, and registered nurses require specific skills, knowledge and attributes in order to care for patients safely. The context for health care delivery is shifting, and the education of nurses must adapt to effectively equip the registered nurse of the future.

DESIGN

A scoping review was conducted of clinical skill development in preregistration nurses. CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, Health Source (Nursing/Academic edition) and Scopus were searched. Included studies were primary Australian studies and international literature reviews, which focussed on preregistration nursing education. Papers were written in the English language and focussed on clinical skill development. Results were synthesised narratively. The review is reported here in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses Scoping Review extension (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-five Australia studies and 89 international reviews were included in the review. Six key themes were identified, namely clinical skills, approaches to teaching and learning, interprofessional education, assessment of learning, clinical placement and simulation.

CONCLUSION

There is substantial variation in strategies and programmes to facilitate clinical skill development both within Australia and internationally, indicating a genuine shift away from traditional didactic pedagogy. New graduate registered nurses were expected to be "work-ready," albeit at a novice level, when they enter the workplace. Future research should consider measures of impact on actual clinical practice and focus on developing work-ready graduates for the range of clinical settings in which they may practice. Educators, policymakers and educational institutions can use these findings to inform curriculum developments to ensure that clinical skill development is evidence-based.

Perspectives of Nurse Preceptors on a Web-based Clinical Pedagogy Program and Clinical Teaching: A Descriptive Qualitative Study

Nurse preceptors are key stakeholders in providing quality clinical education. The study aims to explore the perspectives of nurse preceptors on a Web-based clinical pedagogy program and clinical teaching. A descriptive qualitative design was adopted. The program was made accessible to the nurse preceptors who were assigned nursing students from July 2019 to June 2020. Upon completion of clinical teaching, focus group discussions were conducted and transcribed into verbatim. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. A total of 19 nurse preceptors participated in four focus group discussions. Five themes and 11 sub-themes emerged: 1) Undergoing the process of self-awareness and development; 2) Mastering newly acquired skills to refine own teaching approach; 3) Implementing consistent evaluation and constructive feedback; 4) Dual roles and responsibilities of preceptor; 5) Benefits and barriers of the program. This study highlighted the knowledge and skills preceptors gained through the program which gave them newfound confidence and facilitated their clinical teaching and evaluation. As the shift towards online learning becomes more apparent, web-based learning can be a useful platform for professional development of nurse preceptors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A qualitative study of supervisors' experiences with nursing students in practice, a new guidance model

INTRODUCTION

Clinical practice stimulates students to use their critical thinking skills for problem solving. Collaboration between educational institutions and practices can also be challenging.

AIM

This study aimed to determine supervisors' experiences using a case model in clinical supervision and evaluation.

METHOD

After a period in which a new case model was implemented in clinical practice for nursing students, their supervisors were interviewed. A total of six informants participated, and their ages ranged from 25 to 35 years old.

RESULTS

The case model was a new and better way to make the connections between theory and practice. The supervisors were not ready to take over any more central or final evaluation responsibility.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

We discuss whether supervisors can take responsibility for some of this evaluation work, especially at the end of the practice period. This study shows that the need is there, but many experienced supervisors prefer to adopt the standards that were in use when they were completing their studies.

The art of clinical supervision program: its impact on nurses attitudes towards nursing students

Background: Increasing health professional student numbers in Australia, in response to looming predicted workforce shortages, resulted in a Federal Government call for action to provide clinical supervision education to health professionals. Objectives: This research aimed to develop, implement and evaluate the programme, 'The Art of Clinical Supervision' (ACS), designed to support nurses facilitate a positive learning environment for student nurses. Method: The ACS programme was presented (n = 199) across Western Australia as a doctoral study, with participants from both the public and private healthcare sector working in a variety of specialties. A triangulation approach of surveys, reflective entries and interviews was utilised to determine its impact. Results: The data indicated that participants improved their understanding of supervision and attitude towards students and supervision after attending the ACS. Conclusions: Health service managers are encouraged to evaluate their staffs' knowledge and attitude towards students with findings used to facilitate a positive learning culture.Impact Statement: The Art of Clinical SupervisionThe purpose of the research was to develop, implement and review a new education programme that could support the development of clinical supervision knowledge and attitude to support student nurse learning. This occurred in an environment of increased student numbers as a strategy to correct a predicted looming workforce shortage.The study findings determined that the programme improved both participant knowledge about how to provide effective clinical supervision (teaching) in the clinical environment, and improved staff attitudes towards students and their place as a learner in the clinical areas.The type of impact was therefore within the domain of quality by improving student learning through effective education strategy.As a result of the doctoral research, involving 200 participants, a Federal Government grant of approx. $500,000 was received to facilitate the training of additional educators to provide the programme across the state of Western Australia. This grant was a partnership between the programme author (researcher) and the Western Australian Government Department of Health. This involved four educators presenting the programme to over 3,000 health professionals in a 3-year period. Despite the cessation of funds with the closure of HWA the programme continues to be delivered through The University of Notre Dame Australia School of Nursing and Midwifery, with only a cost recovery charge.

Nursing students’ perspective on a caring relationship in clinical supervision

Background

Nursing students spend approximately half of their time in clinical practice. It is important that clinical supervisors understand nursing students’ path of learning and can support their growth and development during the different and multifaceted learning situations offered in the clinical-practice period.

Objective

Based on nursing students’ perspective and rooted in the didactics of caring science, to examine how a learning and constructive caring relationship between nursing students and supervisors in clinical practice can be formed.

Design

Qualitative and quantitative concurrent triangulation design of mixed methods.

Methods

Focus group interviews with Finnish nursing students (n = 21) in the qualitative part of the study. In the quantitative part, a closed questionnaire with closed answers was analysed using descriptive statistics. The analysis process was conducted using inductive content analysis.

Ethical considerations

Ethical issues were considered throughout the research process according to ethical principles and scientific guidelines. Informed consent was obtained from the informants, confidentiality regarding the data material was guaranteed and quotations were anonymized.

Results

A caring relationship between nursing students and supervisors is based on mutual respect, the ethos of responsibility, motivation, willingness and professionalism. Dignity and a caring ethical approach, where nursing students feel they belong, are recognized, seen and heard enables learning and professional development. It is also significant that the supervisor’s actions and reflections are ethically defensible, equal and protect nursing students from suffering and various power relationships in clinical practice.

Conclusion

A good cooperative relationship and shared responsibility between the nurse education institution, which offers theory and prepares nursing students for the encounter with clinical practice and the healthcare organizations is crucial for enabling a caring relationship in clinical supervision.

Providing support to nursing students in the clinical environment: a nursing standard requirement

AIM

This discussion paper poses the question 'What enables or deters Registered Nurses to take up their professional responsibility to support undergraduate nursing students through the provision of clinical education?'.

BACKGROUND

Embedded within many nursing standards are expectations that Registered Nurses provide support and professional development to undergraduate nursing students undertaking clinical placements. Expectations within nursing standards that Registered Nurses provide support and professional development to nursing students are important because nursing students depend on Registered Nurses to help them to become competent practitioners.

RESULTS

Contributing factors that enable and deter Registered Nurses from fulfilling this expectation to support nursing students in their clinical learning include; workloads, preparedness for the teaching role, confidence in teaching and awareness of the competency requirement to support students.

CONCLUSION

Factors exist which can enable or deter Registered Nurses from carrying out the licence requirement to provide clinical education and support to nursing students.

Indicators of undergraduate nursing students' satisfaction with their learning journey: An integrative review

OBJECTIVES

In Australia Bachelor of Nursing programmes are delivered via both internal and distance modes yet there is little knowledge of the indicators of undergraduate nursing students' satisfaction with the learning journey. This integrative review was undertaken to uncover the indicators of undergraduate nursing students' satisfaction with their learning journey.

DESIGN

Integrative review. A review of key papers was undertaken. Only peer-reviewed papers published in scholarly journals from 2008 onwards were included in this integrative review.

DATA SOURCES

Pubmed, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Wiley Online and ProQuest Central databases were searched for relevant papers.

REVIEW METHODS

49 papers were appraised, by a minimum of two team members. CASP tools were used when evaluating qualitative research, systematic and integrated reviews while survey research was evaluated using a tool specifically developed for this purpose by the research team. All tools used to assess the quality of the research studies contained comprehensive checklists and questions relevant for the particular type of study. Data related to these checklists was extracted and the research team appraised the quality of each article based on its relevance to the topic, internal and external validity, appropriateness of data analysis technique(s), and whether ethical considerations were addressed. Seventeen papers were included in the final analysis. Data analysis involved a systematic approach using content analysis techniques.

RESULTS

This integrative review sought to identify indicators of nursing students' satisfaction with their learning journey. Authentic learning, motivation, resilience, support, and collaborative learning were identified by this integrative review as being key to nursing students' satisfaction with their learning journey. Sub themes were identified within each of these themes that assist in explaining nursing students' views of their learning journey.

CONCLUSION

The findings showed that higher satisfaction levels are attained when nursing students feel included and supported during their learning journey.