Criteria used for patient selection for nursing students' hospital clinical experience

This study investigated the criteria used by nurse educators when selecting patients for students' hospital clinical experience. Criteria were defined as individual elements or characteristics considered when selecting patients. Factors were defined as broad categories of related criteria. The sample consisted of 54 nurse educators from college and university nursing programs. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used. The three most important criteria for patient selection were: students' individual learning needs, patients' nursing care needs, and matching patients' needs with students' learning needs. One-way ANOVA was performed on the factors by subjects' demographic variables. Teacher-student clinical ratio, program in which teaching, and age most influenced the factors considered (p less than .05).