Effects of a concurrent clinical education assignment on student concerns

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Pedagogy
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Concurrent clinical education models blend theoretical instruction with practical experience.
• Understanding student concerns is crucial for optimizing educational strategies in healthcare programs.
• Early clinical assignments can impact student confidence and skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze student concerns in a concurrent clinical education setting.
• To compare concerns expressed before and after an early concurrent assignment versus a nonconcurrent assignment.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study involving 20 junior baccalaureate nursing students.
• Open-ended, taped interviews conducted before and after a concurrent assignment, and before a nonconcurrent assignment.
• Analysis of expressed concerns focusing on interpersonal interactions, knowledge, and treatment procedures.

Main Results:

• The most frequent student concerns related to interpersonal interactions, personal knowledge, and treatment procedures.
• Students reported significantly more concerns prior to the concurrent assignment compared to after the assignment and before a nonconcurrent assignment.
• A reduction in concerns was observed following the early concurrent clinical assignment.

Conclusions:

• Early concurrent clinical assignments appear to effectively mitigate student anxieties.
• The concurrent model fosters increased student confidence in affective and psychomotor skills.
• Findings suggest the concurrent pattern is a beneficial approach for nursing education.