Improving student supervision in a Norwegian intensive care unit: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Management
• Professional Development

Background:

• Student supervision is a critical component of nursing education.
• Intensive and critical care settings present unique challenges for nurse educators.
• Empowerment programs aim to enhance the skills and confidence of healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore intensive and critical care nurses' experiences with an empowerment program.
• To understand their role as student supervisors within this program.
• To identify factors influencing the quality of student supervision.

Main Methods:

• Multistage focus group interviews were conducted.
• Qualitative content analysis was employed for data interpretation.
• The study focused on nurses in intensive and critical care roles.

Main Results:

• Emerging themes included the critical importance of time, leadership, and shared responsibility.
• Sufficient time positively impacted motivation, learning, and reflection.
• Clear definition of responsibilities among hospital, university, and unit levels is essential.

Conclusions:

• The study underscores the need for improved strategies to ensure quality in student supervision.
• Strengthening the system of student supervision requires clear role definition and dedicated time.
• Effective leadership and balanced responsibility models are crucial for successful nurse education.