Defining and Characterizing the Nursing Student-Faculty Relationship in Clinical Practice: A Concept Analysis

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Clinical Practice
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• The nursing student-faculty (NS-F) relationship significantly impacts clinical learning experiences.
• Characterizing this relationship is essential for optimizing educational outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define and characterize the nursing student-faculty relationship within clinical practice.
• To identify the core attributes, antecedents, and outcomes of the NS-F relationship.

Main Methods:

• Integrated literature review of PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL databases.
• Concept analysis using the Walker and Avant method.
• Included 15 articles from a December 2023 review.

Main Results:

• Identified key attributes: caring, interpersonal connectedness, motivation, and constructive communication.
• Antecedents include a clinical learning environment and student-faculty contact.
• Positive outcomes encompass enhanced learning environments, motivation, well-being, and empowerment.

Conclusions:

• Findings provide practical guidance for nurse faculty and students to improve interactions.
• Enhancing NS-F relationships can lead to better professional and academic development for nursing students.
• Implications for improving clinical education and learning outcomes are highlighted.