Individual face-to-face tutorials: the value in nurse education.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Academic Support Strategies

Background:

• Individual, face-to-face tutorials are an established method for academic support in higher education.
• The effectiveness of tutorials is recognized, but their labor-intensive nature poses challenges, particularly in resource-constrained UK higher education institutions.
• Increasing student fees and widening access initiatives in UK pre-registration nursing programs necessitate robust academic support to ensure student success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the perceived value of individual, face-to-face tutorials for academic support within nurse education.
• To explore student and lecturer perspectives on the benefits and challenges of this tutorial modality.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive and exploratory research design was employed, integrating qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
• A web-based, self-completion questionnaire was distributed to lecturers and pre-registration student nurses at a UK university.
• Focus group interviews were conducted with students following the questionnaire analysis.

Main Results:

• Quantitative and qualitative data analysis confirmed the significant value of individual, face-to-face tutorials.
• Qualitative findings provided rich, detailed accounts from students and lecturers underscoring the importance of these tutorials.
• The study identified specific benefits and contributions of tutorials to student academic development.

Conclusions:

• Individual, face-to-face tutorials are a crucial component of academic support in pre-registration nursing education.
• Despite resource implications, the benefits derived from personalized academic guidance outweigh the challenges.
• Further consideration should be given to sustaining and optimizing tutorial provision in higher education nursing programs.