Development of the Hybrid Clinical Practicum Environment Scale for Nursing Students

PURPOSE

This study aimed to develop a Hybrid Clinical Practicum Environment Scale for Nursing Students (HCPES-NS) and verify its validity and reliability.

METHODS

The HCPES-NS was constructed following the DeVellis guidelines. The initial items were written based on a literature review and individual in-depth interviews. Content validity was verified through an expert panel review. To confirm the validity and reliability of the scale, a survey was conducted with 449 nursing students enrolled in 12 nursing colleges. Data were analyzed using item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, concurrent validity, and reliability tests.

RESULTS

Factor analysis showed that the HCPES-NS consists of 15 items on five subdomains: clinical site atmosphere, interpersonal relationship, alternative online practicum contents, provision of learning information, and clinical performance facilitation. A higher score indicated a more positive perception of the clinical practicum environment. The concurrent validity of the HCPES-NS was confirmed by its positive correlation with the Clinical Learning Environment Scale (r = .77). The Cronbach's α reliability of the HCPES-NS was .84.

CONCLUSION

The HCPES-NS is both valid and reliable. This scale reflects the clinical practicum environment and includes an online practicum factor. It may be used effectively by faculty members and educators to evaluate nursing students' perceptions of clinical practicum environments.

Personal Factors and Clinical Learning Environment as Predictors of Nursing Students' Readiness for Practice: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

PURPOSE

It is essential to ensure the readiness for practice among undergraduate nursing students since the purpose of such education is to cultivate competent nurses who deliver high-quality and safe nursing. Astin's theory of student involvement suggests that this is affected by their personal factors and learning environment.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study between November 16, 2020 and December 21, 2020 which examined personal factors and aspects of the clinical learning environment among senior nursing students (n = 838) enrolled across 54 nursing schools in Korea. The participants were asked to fill out a self-administered online survey, which assessed demographic characteristics, self-esteem, depression, work-life balance, clinical learning environment, anxiety during clinical practicum, and readiness for practice. Readiness for practice was measured using the Casey-Fink Readiness for practice survey. We used structural equational modeling to test our hypothetical model.

RESULTS

The nursing students' readiness for practice was significantly affected by their self-esteem, work-life balance satisfaction, and clinical learning environment. Anxiety during clinical practicum directly influenced their readiness for practice.

CONCLUSION

Increasing self-esteem and work-life balance satisfaction, and improving their clinical learning environment by providing sufficient educational and clinical support, could help facilitate the transition from nursing schools to real-world practice for nursing students.

The clinical learning environment, supervision and future intention to work as a nurse in nursing students: a cross-sectional and descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Clinical practice is a core component of nurse education. It is believed that nursing students' clinical placement experiences can affect their learning outcomes, satisfaction, as well as influence their choice of future career. To examine nursing students' perception of clinical learning environment and mentoring in hospital where they perform their clinical placement and the connection of these factor with intention to work as a nurse once graduated.

METHODS

Nursing students enrolled in clinical practice at least 6 months in hospitals in China were surveyed between January-March 2021. Percentages, frequencies, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

Of the five scales in the CLES+T, 'Leadership style of the ward manager' scored the highest mean while 'Pedagogical atmosphere at the ward' scored the lowest. Nursing students with lower educational level, those supervised by fixed preceptor, and those intent to be a nurse in the future were significantly more satisfied with the CLES+T. Most of the nursing students are intent to work as a nurse in the future. CLES+T total scores and sub-dimensions (Premises of nursing on the ward) have significantly effectiveness on the intention to be a nurse in the future.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the significant correlation of between learning environments and nursing students intention to be a nurse in the future, ward managers need to build a good clinical teaching atmosphere and promote opportunities for theoretical and practical connections among students through effective feedback mechanisms, which can enable students to experience a better clinical learning environment and meaningful experiences to build their professional roles and competencies, thus helping to enhance students' willingness to pursue nursing careers in the future.

Testing the measurement invariance of the Korean clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher (CLES+t) scale

BACKGROUND

In 2018, the Korean version of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher scale was evaluated for validity and reliability.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to test the instrument's measurement invariance and to compare the latent means of groups.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

Nursing departments in four metropolitan cities and five regions of Korea. The study sample comprised 507 nursing students.

PARTICIPANTS

Bachelor's-level nursing students in their third and fourth years who have experienced clinical practicum.

METHODS

Data were collected from November 11 to December 24, 2018 using the Korean Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher scale. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. Measurement invariance of the Korean Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher scale was tested in the following order: configural invariance, factor-loading invariance, intercept invariance, factor variance/covariance invariance, and residual invariance, by student year, hospital grade (tertiary or general hospital) and assignment of a nurse instructor (or not).

RESULTS

The measurement invariance of the Korean Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher scale by student year and hospital grade were confirmed by configural invariance, factor-loading invariance, intercept invariance, factor variance/covariance invariance, and residual invariance. The measurement invariance of the scale by assignment of a nurse instructor (or not) was also confirmed for configural invariance, factor-loading invariance, partial intercept invariance, partial factor variance/covariance invariance, and partial residual invariance. Comparing latent mean values, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean of the sub-dimensions of the Korean Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher scale by student year, hospital grade, and nurse assignment (or not).

CONCLUSIONS

The Korean Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher scale is an appropriate instrument for measuring the clinical learning environment regardless of student year, hospital grade, or nurse assignment.

Clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher scale (CLES+T): Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version

BACKGROUND

Clinical learning environment plays a vital role in nursing clinical education. The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) scale is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate the quality of the clinical learning process in international nursing education contexts.

OBJECTIVES

To validate the Chinese version of the CLES+T scale that is in line with the Chinese culture and educational context.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Data were collected from nursing students in six provinces in different parts of China between September and October 2018.

PARTICIPANTS

Six hundred and ninety-four nursing students participated in this study.

METHODS

Purposeful sampling was used, and students completed online survey to explore the structure of the CLES+T scale. Internal consistency reliability was tested on the total scale and its sub-dimensions using Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTS

An exploratory factorial analysis identified a three-component solution, with 11 items, and explained 60.01% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factor structure. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the scale was 0.82, and those of the three subscales were 0.79, 0.71, and 0.70.

CONCLUSIONS

The unique, stable and relatively concise Chinese version of CLES+T scale instrument could be a useful instrument for using as an assessment scale in Chinese-speaking countries.

Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Indonesian Version of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher Scale (CLES + T)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to describe an evaluation of psychometric properties of the Indonesian version of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision, and Nurse Teacher (CLES + T) scale, a scale that measures nursing students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment.

METHODS

The CLES + T was completed by 292 nursing students. Inter-item correlations, exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and evidence of validity were used to examine reliability and validity.

RESULTS

Four factors were extracted that explained 58% of the variance. Cronbach alphas ranged from .86-.95. Wording to describe different titles of supervisors was unclear to some of the participants.

CONCLUSION

The Indonesian version of the CLES + T is a reliable version. More research is needed to clarify some of the wording.

Validation of the Korean Version of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale: A Methodological Study

Background: The Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy (NPSE) scale was developed to reflect the characteristics of nursing tasks. This study was conducted to validate the Korean version of the NPSE (K-NPSE) scale. Methods: The NPSE scale with nineteen items was translated into Korean after forward and backward translation according to Devellis’ guideline. For the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), 298 nurses participated and criterion-related validity and reliability were verified. For the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), 218 other nurses participated. Content validity, criterion-related validity, and internal consistency reliability were examined. Additionally, construct validity was examined. SPSS and AMOS were used for the data analyses. Results: Nineteen items were selected after evaluating the content and cognitive validity and comprised three factors: “Professional (10 items)”, “Advocating (4)”, and “Caring (5)”. Construct validity was supported by the CFA. Criterion-related validity was supported by comparison with the General Self-Efficacy Test (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Cronbach’s alpha of the K-NPSE was 0.93. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that the K-NPSE could be useful for assessing nurses’ self-efficacy. The K-NPSE may be used as a valuable reference for developing programs or policies that promote nursing professionals. It is expected that continued use of this scale in various clinical settings to further generalize and validate the scale.

The clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher scale (CLES+T): psychometric properties measured in the context of postgraduate nursing education

Background

The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale (CLES+T) instrument is internationally used for the evaluation of clinical learning environment in undergraduate nursing education. However, no evidence is available on the possible applications of this instrument in the context of postgraduate nursing education.

Purpose

To examine the basic psychometric properties of CLES+T in the context of clinical postgraduate nursing education in Poland.

Methods

Study among a sample of 417 nurses participating in the clinical postgraduate training in Poland.

Results

Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.97. A five-factor structure was confirmed in accordance with the assumptions adopted by the authors of the original version of the scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the Polish version of the CLES+T subscales ranged from 0.83 (Nursing care on the ward) to 0.95 (The content of supervisory relationship). The mean results for individual subscales ranged from 4.52 ± 0.63 for nursing care on the ward to 4.73 ± 0.45 for role of the nurse teacher.

Conclusions

Having shown satisfactory psychometric properties, CLES+T can be considered a useful instrument to assess those elements of clinical learning environment which are important for the assurance of education quality at the postgraduate level.

The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and the Nurse Teacher Evaluation Scale: Turkish Version

AIM

The aim of this study is to adapt the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Evaluation Scale to the Turkish language and culture.

METHODS

This psychometric test was conducted in a nursing school in Ankara, Turkey, from April to June 2014. Convenience sampling was used. The sample of this study was 190 third- and fourth-year nursing students. The items of the scale were evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient for correlation-based item analysis. Cronbach's alpha, test and retest analysis were used to measure reliability. Exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis were performed to determine validity. Principal component analysis was used to analyze factor.

RESULTS

The subscales' Cronbach's alpha values were varied between .760 and .933. A positive relationship was found between tests and retests points of the subscales (P < .05). Five factors were identified in the exploratory factor analysis. There was a meaningful correlation between subscale points of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Evaluation Scale and the Clinical Learning Environment Scale (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The Turkish version of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Evaluation Scale was validated and a reliable measurement tool. It can be used to evaluate clinical nursing education in Turkey.