Validation of the clinical learning environment and supervision scale

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Evaluating the clinical learning environment (CLE) and supervision is vital for nursing student development.
• Existing instruments may not fully capture the nuances of student experiences in diverse healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate a novel research instrument designed to assess the quality of the clinical learning environment.
• To evaluate the quality of supervision provided to nursing students by qualified staff nurses.

Main Methods:

• A validation study employing concurrent criterion-related validity using Dunn's and Burnett's (1995) CLE scale.
• Data collected from 416 nursing students across four Finnish Nursing Colleges during hospital clinical placements.

Main Results:

• Students rated their clinical placements favorably on both the new instrument and the concurrent measure.
• The supervisory relationship emerged as the most significant factor, contingent upon a positive atmosphere and effective leadership.
• High congruence between the instruments was observed, suggesting robust validation.

Conclusions:

• The validated instrument effectively measures the quality of the clinical learning environment and nursing supervision.
• Effective clinical supervision is strongly linked to positive leadership and a supportive learning atmosphere.
• The study provides a reliable tool for enhancing nursing education quality assessment.