Evaluating student nurse learning in the clinical skills laboratory

This small study was undertaken at Coventry University as part of a wider Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) project to determine whether learning that occurs in the clinical skills laboratories (CSLs) can be counted as practice hours or should remain as theory hours. At Coventry University, 3rd-year student nurses were educated on how to teach drug administration skills. They then delivered this teaching to 1st-year student nurses. Both adult and mental health students were involved in this process. All participants in the study were asked for their views of this learning experience. Mentors in practice were also asked how this learning impacted on the students' performance in placement. The findings identify that students considered this to be a good way to learn because the safe environment of the CSL built up their confidence. Mentors also identified it as useful because students came better prepared to their placement, thereby reducing their workload.