The challenges and conflictsof facilitating learning in practice: the experiences of two clinical nurse educators

This is a descriptive paper discussing the experiences of two clinical educators in practice.It highlights some of the practice issues around accountability, advocacy and roleconflicts in clinical teaching roles. The issue of training nurses fit for pr actice giventhe recommendations of Fitness for Practice (UKCC 1999) and Making a Difference (Department of Health 1999) is discussed within the context of the reality of the clinical environment. The number of learners in the clinical area has increased in the last fewyears, and will continue to do so with the increase in nurses promised by t he NHS Planand new initiatives to attract nurses back into the profession. As a result of this the clinical environment, already stretched with service demands, requires additional support to facilitate the development of learners. Recommendations are m ade for the future of generic practice facilitative roles in the light of the current debate to get nurse educators back into practice.