Work Role Perspectives of Clinical Instructors From Three Countries

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Instruction
• Healthcare Partnerships

Background:

• Educational institutions and health facilities collaborate for clinical education.
• The impact on clinical instructors within these partnerships is under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the perspectives of clinical instructors on their work roles.
• To assess the importance and nature of clinical instruction roles.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing surveys from 135 clinical instructors in Israel, Norway, and the US.
• Development and application of the Nursing Clinical Instruction Role Assessment Tool (N-CIRAT).

Main Results:

• The N-CIRAT demonstrated good reliability.
• Three distinct work roles were identified: educator, hospital partner, and patient advocate.
• The patient advocate role was highly rated by all instructors, while hospital partner and patient advocate roles differed by primary employer.

Conclusions:

• The educator role, encompassing role modeling and fostering reflection, is a consistent aspect of clinical nurse educators' work.
• Findings highlight the multifaceted nature of clinical instructor roles and their varying importance based on employment context.