International nursing students and clinical learning environments: A convergent mixed-methods study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• International Student Health
• Clinical Learning Environments

Background:

• Increasing numbers of international nursing students in Europe present unique educational challenges.
• Cultural and linguistic diversity among these students impacts their clinical learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively understand international nursing students' clinical learning environments.
• To compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative data for a holistic view.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed-methods research design (QUAL-QUANT).
• Concurrent and independent collection of qualitative (focus groups, content analysis) and quantitative (CALD scale surveys, descriptive/correlation analyses) data.
• Analysis involved 96 international nursing students across 24 focus groups.

Main Results:

• CALD scale mean scores varied from 2.7 to 4.5.
• Qualitative themes identified factors promoting and inhibiting successful clinical learning.
• Integration of data yielded four concordant and one discordant meta-inferences regarding the learning environment.

Conclusions:

• Culturally sensitive clinical learning environments are essential for international nursing students' development.
• Nurse educators need transcultural competencies and pedagogical skills to support this population.
• Effective strategies are needed to address challenges faced by international nursing students in clinical settings.