Student Nurse’s Clinical Learning Environment: Clinical Teachers’ Perspective

Abstract

The study attempted to answer the following research questions; what factors influence student nurses’ clinical learning during their clinical practice allocation and how does clinical learning environment influence student nurses learning? A phenomenological approach methodology was used to conduct the study. Eight clinical teachers at Rusangu University in Monze participated in study. The findings showed that study participants provided teaching and learning support to student nurses on attachment and integrated theory into practice by either discussing conditions or observing and demonstrating procedures when students were in the clinical areas. They also stated that communication was also good among the school staff and students. The study revealed that students face challenges during students’ placements in their respective clinical sites. The main challenges included lack of medical surgical supplies, equipment and stationary s and students congesting the ward coming from different schools of nursing. This made teaching and learning for student’s difficulty. The study suggests a necessity to use to look into the challenges faced by the clinical teachers in order to facilitate learning in clinical practice and creating a conducive clinical learning environment.