Enhancing the Prelicensure Clinical Learning Experience: A Student-Centered Learning Approach.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Learning Environments
• Healthcare Professions Education

Background:

• The clinical learning environment is crucial for student development in healthcare professions.
• Understanding student perceptions is vital for optimizing clinical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate nursing students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences.
• To identify factors influencing effective clinical learning.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-method approach utilizing the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) survey.
• Inclusion of open-ended questions to gather qualitative insights.
• Survey administered to 194 prelicensure nursing students.

Main Results:

• Key factors positively impacting learning included affordances, engagement, student-centeredness, valuing nurses' work, and fostering workplace learning.
• Effective clinical faculty demonstrated strong communication, challenged learners, and were readily available.
• These elements were significant for prelicensure nursing students' learning.

Conclusions:

• Competent clinical faculty are essential for supporting prelicensure nursing students.
• Optimizing the clinical learning environment requires attention to faculty-student interactions and pedagogical approaches.
• Enhancing clinical education necessitates a focus on student engagement and faculty support.