Nursing is an applied discipline that requires hands-on training, and as such, nursing education must offer a curriculum
Nursing is an applied discipline that requires hands-on training, and as such, nursing education must offer a curriculum
Discussion 1 Replies 2
Requirements: 110 words each
YesterdayApr 11 at 3:01am
Nursing is an applied discipline that requires hands-on training, and as such, nursing education must offer a curriculum that facilitates the development of students’ clinical skills, with particular emphasis on patient care. Clinical education is an essential and fundamental component of nursing professional education that cannot be neglected. Wood (2019) notes that a poorly trained nurse not only hinders the effectiveness of the team but also negatively impacts the quality of healthcare provided to patients. As such, it is imperative to invest in clinical education and ensure that all nursing students receive adequate training and preparation for their future roles as healthcare providers (Wood, 2019).
In addition, clinical education plays a critical role in nursing education as it provides nursing students with the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts to real-life situations, develop crucial skills and competencies, and interact with patients, families, and healthcare professionals (Papathanasiou et al., 2014). As nursing is a practice-based discipline, it is crucial that clinical education is an essential component of professional education.
However, nursing clinical education faces several challenges, including time pressures, limited learning opportunities, and the diverse needs and abilities of students. Clinical instructors must adopt effective strategies to overcome these challenges and ensure that nursing students receive comprehensive clinical education that exposes them to diverse patient populations, healthcare settings, and technologies. Some strategies clinical instructors can do or use to overcome the challenges include:
- Time pressure: Before the first clinical orientation day with their students, instructors should make an effort to visit the unit in question. This can involve contacting the nurse manager and arranging to spend at least half a day there. During this time, instructors should be prepared to explain the clinical objectives of the course and provide the names of the students with clinical hours. It may also be helpful to request to shadow a veteran nurse for a full shift in order to become familiar with the unit’s culture and routines. By doing so, instructors can gain a valuable ally in the form of an experienced nurse who can help support them in teaching their students. Moreover, it is crucial that students are given adequate time to spend in their clinical placements. In busy settings, there may be limited time available for teaching and feedback. Clinical educators should be well-prepared with clinical teaching skills so that they can make the most of the time available and provide effective instruction. By maximizing clinical teaching time, students can gain the skills and knowledge needed to become competent and confident nurses. This, in turn, can lead to better patient outcomes and higher-quality healthcare (Ghasemi et al., 2020).
- Fewer patients: In nursing education, it is crucial for students to have ample opportunities to gain hands-on experience and develop clinical skills. While patient simulation can be helpful, there is no substitute for real “work experience”. However, when there are fewer patients on the floor, students may not have as many opportunities to learn and practice their skills. To address this, preceptors should ensure that students receive thorough guidance and instruction, and that they have access to a variety of learning experiences. Additionally, a high instructor-to-student ratio can adversely affect student clinical experiences by decreasing learning opportunities and delaying clinical competence and confidence. Clinical site employees can be helpful in supporting student learning, but their workload and willingness to assist and mentor students can sometimes be a barrier. Therefore, it is important for nursing educators to develop strategies to overcome these obstacles and provide students with the best possible clinical education.
- Shorter Hospital Stay: Hospitals are discharging patients sooner, which means that nursing students have less time to interact with them. To address this issue, some institutions assign two students to one patient. It is crucial for these students to know which specific skills they will be responsible for and to work collaboratively to provide high-quality care. The clinical instructor can provide guidance by presenting various clinical learning skills in videos, and by researching if there are any patients in the hospital who may require specific procedures that the students can perform under supervision.
- Limited availability and variety of learning opportunities: Having limited availability and a lack of variety in learning opportunities can be a significant challenge in clinical education. As nurses, it is our professional responsibility to keep up with the ever-changing standards of practice. Clinical instructors can collaborate with other departments within the hospital or healthcare facility to provide additional learning opportunities. For example, if there are limited opportunities for students to practice a particular skill on the clinical placement, the instructor can work with other departments to arrange for the students to observe or practice the skill in a simulated setting. Students can also be more proactive by seeking for opportunities to other nurses.
- The varied needs and abilities of students: it is important to assess their clinical skills and identify areas of weakness. Clinical evaluation is necessary to identify areas where students require further assistance or development. Instructors should be available to provide guidance and support to help students meet the required competencies.
Reference
Ghasemi, M. R., Moonaghi, H. K., & Heydari, A. (2020). Strategies for sustaining and enhancing nursing students’ engagement in academic and clinical settings: a narrative review. Korean Journal of Medical Education, 32(2), 103–117. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2020.159
Papathanasiou, I., Kleisiaris, C., Fradelos, E., Kakou, K., & Kourkouta, L. (2014). Critical thinking: The development of an essential skill for nursing students. Acta Informatica Medica, 22(4), 283. NCBI. https://doi.org/10.5455/aim.2014.22.283-286
Wood, R. (2019). Transforming Education. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209885/
5 hours ago
9:12amApr 12 at 9:12am
Teaching in clinical settings can be challenging due to time constraints, patient care demands, limited availability and variety of learning opportunities, and the varied needs and abilities of students. To address these challenges, clinical instructors can implement several strategies to optimize the learning experience for their students.
Time pressures: Instructors can prioritize the learning objectives, divide contents into modules, and use time efficiently by planning ahead and being organized, utilizing downtime for learning, and clearly defining the expectations to the students (Giddings, 2021)
Fewer patients: Make use of simulations and case studies to offer practical patient situations. While simulated clinical experiences cannot completely replace actual patient interactions, the controlled setting of simulation can introduce targeted learning experiences aligned with course objectives and offer significant prospects for reflection and assessment (Giddings, 2021). Also, encouraging students to participate in other nursing care even if it’s just assisting or observing can help the students learn.
Shorter hospital stays: The instructor can use different clinical settings in the hospital to use as an alternative if there are not a lot patients in the unit.
Limited availability and variety of learning opportunities: Instructors can branch out in different hospital departments to also expand learning opportunities for students. Encourage the students to ask different healthcare team members for their roles and how they interact with patients and other members of the healthcare team. This can give students a broader understanding of the healthcare system and the roles of different healthcare professionals.
Varied needs and abilities of students: Use different approaches and teaching styles, such as visual aids, hands-on activities, and group discussions, to accommodate different learning styles. Clinical instructors should possess important academic characteristics such as availability, implementation of innovative teaching methods, motivation of students, provision of frequent feedback, and the use of impartial criteria for evaluation (Soroush et al., 2021). Having a one-on-one session with students to provide feedback and support to students can help students learn their strengths and what they need to work on.
References
Giddings, E. (2021). Managing Your Time as a Nurse Educator. UWorld Nursing. https://nursing.uworld.com/blog/time-management-in…
Soroush, A., Andaieshgar, B., Vahdat, A., & Khatony, A. (2021). The characteristics of an effective clinical instructor from the perspective of nursing students: a qualitative descriptive study in Iran. BMC Nursing, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00556-9
Answer preview for the paper on ‘Nursing is an applied discipline that requires hands-on training, and as such, nursing education must offer a curriculum’
APA 379 words
Click the purchase button below to download full answer…….