Success in the clinical setting: nursing students' perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore students’ perceptions and experiences of feeling confident in some clinical areas and not in others and to explore how clinical teachers may increase students’ feelings of self-efficacy during clinical practice. Using Bandura’s (1997) theory of Self-efficacy as a framework three major themes and several subthemes emerged from the data as important influences to student learning. Clinical Education facilitator (CEF) was the term used in this study for clinical teacher (CT)and was considered by students to be the most important influence to clinical learning.The CEF was the most developed theme followed by the theme of the environment and the theme of the student. The findings of this research were found to be consistent with the literature related to self-efficacy and student learning in the clinical setting. Implications for nursing education and recommendations for further research were discussed.