Views on unsafe nursing students in clinical learning.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Clinical education is vital for undergraduate nursing programs.
• Patient safety in clinical settings is paramount.
• A clear definition of an "unsafe" nursing student is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe undergraduate student nurses' and clinical educators' views on unsafe clinical student practices.
• To identify core characteristics defining unsafe student behaviors in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Q methodology was employed with 57 students and 14 clinical educators.
• Participants sorted 39 statements on unsafe student practices.
• Data were analyzed using centroid factor analysis with varimax rotation.

Main Results:

• Three dimensions of unsafe student practices were identified: Compromised Professional Accountability, Incomplete Praxis, and Clinical Disengagement.
• A common theme across these dimensions was violated professional integrity.
• Student competencies (affective, cognitive, praxis) and educator roles were highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Unsafe student practices are multifaceted, involving accountability, practical skills, and engagement.
• Professional integrity is a central element in defining unsafe student behavior.
• Educators play a critical role in preparing competent and safe nursing practitioners.