PERCEPTIONS OF ACTUAL AND PREFERRED HOSPITAL CLINICAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF STUDENT NURSES

Thesis Abstract

Perceptions of Actual and Preferred Hospital Clinical Learning Environment of Student Nurses Abstract
Background The clinical learning environment plays a crucial role in the education and development of student nurses. This study aimed to explore and compare student nurses' perceptions of their actual clinical learning environment in hospitals with their preferred clinical learning environment. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of X student nurses from various hospitals. The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) was used to assess the students' perceptions of their actual and preferred clinical learning environment. The CLEI consists of subscales including personalization, innovation, individualization, involvement, satisfaction, task orientation, and individual evaluation. Results The findings revealed a significant difference between the student nurses' perceptions of their actual and preferred clinical learning environment. Overall, students rated their preferred clinical learning environment higher than their actual clinical learning environment. Specifically, students expressed a preference for a more personalized, innovative, and individualized learning environment compared to what they experienced. Additionally, students indicated a desire for increased involvement, satisfaction, task orientation, and individual evaluation in their clinical learning environment. Conclusion The study highlights the importance of understanding student nurses' perceptions of the clinical learning environment in hospitals. By identifying the gaps between actual and preferred environments, educators and healthcare institutions can work towards enhancing the quality of clinical education for student nurses. Addressing these gaps can lead to improved student satisfaction, engagement, and learning outcomes. Future research should focus on interventions to bridge the disparities between actual and preferred clinical learning environments to create a more conducive and effective learning environment for student nurses. Keywords student nurses, clinical learning environment, actual, preferred, perceptions