Clinical conferences--the key to successful experiential learning

Clinical practice is a major component of nursing programs and a source of a great deal of student learning. The experiential learning which occurs during clinical practice can be utilised to enhance the integration of theory and practice. The key to maximising students' clinical learning is the instructor's deliberate attention to the experiential learning cycle. The congruence between nursing process and the processes of experiential learning provides a basis for effective post-clinical conferences. A model of questioning, which is directed at each phase of the experiential learning cycle, is presented. Use of the model in a baccalaureate nursing program has assisted beginning students to analyse their clinical experience, develop accurate nursing diagnoses and plan future care.