Hong Kong nursing students' perception of the clinical environment: a questionnaire survey

Clinical practice is a vital component of the nursing curriculum yet it takes place in a complex social context. This survey examined Hong Kong nursing students' perception of the social climate of the clinical learning environment. The targeted subjects were all Years 2-4 pre-registration nursing students at the school of nursing of a major University in Hong Kong. Participants were invited to complete the two versions, the actual and preferred forms, of the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory following the completion of their clinical field placement. Two hundred and eighty one actual forms and 243 preferred forms were returned. SPPS version 11 was employed to analyse the data using descriptive and inferential statistics. It was found that there were significant differences between students' perceptions of the actual clinical learning environment and the ideal clinical learning environment they desired. The study highlights the need for a supportive clinical learning environment which is of paramount importance in securing the required teaching and learning process for students on clinical practice.