Student and faculty perceptions of effective clinical instructors in ADN programs.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Effective clinical teaching is crucial for developing competent associate degree nursing (ADN) students.
• Understanding perceptions of both students and faculty regarding effective clinical instructors is essential for curriculum and training improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify associate degree nursing (ADN) students' and faculty's perceptions of effective clinical teacher characteristics.
• To determine if significant differences exist between student and faculty perceptions of effective clinical teaching.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 292 ADN students and 59 faculty members across five randomly selected Michigan nursing programs.
• The Nursing Clinical Effectiveness Inventory, comprising 48 characteristics across five subscales, was used for data collection.
• Statistical analysis, including t-tests, was employed to compare student and faculty perceptions.

Main Results:

• Students ranked 'demonstrates clinical skills and judgment' as the most important characteristic, while faculty prioritized 'explains clearly'.
• Both groups agreed on 6 of the top 10 characteristics and identified 'directs student to useful literature in nursing' as least important.
• Significant differences emerged in subscale importance: students favored evaluation characteristics, whereas faculty emphasized interpersonal relationships.

Conclusions:

• Perceptions of effective clinical teaching characteristics differ between ADN students and faculty, particularly concerning interpersonal relationships.
• These findings highlight the need for tailored approaches to clinical instruction that address the distinct priorities of students and faculty.
• Further research could explore interventions to bridge these perceptual gaps and enhance the overall clinical education experience.