Clinical learning environment and the influential factors from nursing students perspectives

Abstract EN

Background:Clinicalenvironmentisall that surrounds the nursing student within clinical areas, such as places, resources, staff skills, patients, peer group and nursing tutors.

Aim: to assess the clinical learning environment and the influential factors from nursing students perspectives.

Methodology:A descriptive study is carried out in Faculty of Nursing, Sohag University at the end of 1stsemester(2015-2016).The samplecomprised of (183) out of the total number of 2ndyear nursing students.

Data was collected using the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory, Obstacles to Learning Clinical Skills tools and analyized by using a descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation and independent t-test using (SPSS v.16).

Results: The average score of total clinical learning environment scale was (112.3 ±14.0) from the total score(168), and about from 50% to 86% of the students' had a negative opinionstowards theirclinical learning environment,and majorityof them 72.2% were moderately satisfied.Although the mean scores of clinical learning environment domains were higher in some domains,nostatistical differences were found between the respondents viewpoints depend on age groups (p>0.05).

Moreover,it was found that the mean scores of clinical learning environment domains were higher in females than males but no statistical differences were found between the students opinions based on gender except in the following domains: task orientation and teaching innovation only(17.2±3.4,16.1±4.0;15.7±3.1,15.3±3.9) respectively.

The most significant obstacles which faced the students during clinical learning were lack of educational facilities (69.3%), and the least was interference between the training schedule with other trainers (36.6%).

Conclusion: There are significant obstacles and challenges that facenursing students in clinical learning environment, all of which could influence their learning and competencyafter graduation.

Recommendations:Educational authorities at Sohag University and nursing educators in the faculty should pay special attention to the issues and take assertive action to overcome the learningobstacles in order to create a desirable clinical climate.