Exploring nursing students' experience of peer learning in clinical practice

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Peer learning, an interaction between students of similar levels, has limited documented use in Iranian clinical settings.
• This study investigated nursing students' perceptions and experiences of peer learning during clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of baccalaureate nursing students regarding peer learning in their clinical practice.
• To understand the perceived benefits and drawbacks of peer learning in a clinical nursing context.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of focus group interviews with 28 nursing students.
• Purposive sampling was used, with students divided into four groups of seven.
• Conventional content analysis was applied to verbatim transcripts of semi-structured interviews.

Main Results:

• Four emergent themes were identified: paradoxical dualism, peer exploitation, initial learning efficacy, and socialization.
• Paradoxical dualism arose from the interplay of perceived advantages and disadvantages.
• Peer exploitation was linked to peer selection and training processes.

Conclusions:

• Nursing students generally expressed satisfaction with peer learning, citing deeper learning and reduced stress compared to conventional methods.
• Peer learning is considered a valuable tool for nursing students to practice educational leadership and acquire clinical skills prior to employment.