Evaluating dedicated education units for clinical education quality

Dedicated education units (DEUs) have emerged as an important clinical education innovation within academic practice partnerships. However, rigorous evaluation has not been conducted previously. This article presents findings from a randomized, controlled, multiyear, multisite study comparing the clinical education quality for students educated in either the DEU innovation or traditional clinical education model within the same nursing course. The evaluation occurred within a larger study focusing on teaching capacity, faculty work life, and educational quality at one large, urban university collaborating with three agency partners. To examine learning outcomes, the question posed was, "In what ways, if any, does the DEU intervention, when compared to traditional clinical education, enhance educational quality?" Results indicate that educational quality and learning gains are significantly more positive for students clinically instructed in DEUs. Findings will be of interest to education and practice leaders seeking to enhance the quality of clinical teaching, learning, and nursing practice.