Helping students to begin hospital field placements: an active learning approach

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Professions

Background:

• Hospitals are high-impact environments that can increase anxiety for students starting field placements.
• Students face the challenge of learning multiple new areas simultaneously amidst stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an orientation strategy designed to mitigate student anxiety and enhance learning during initial field placements.
• To utilize principles of adult learning in developing an effective orientation program.

Main Methods:

• Developed a structured orientation strategy incorporating adult learning principles.
• Provided students with written orientation objectives.
• Aimed to foster guided independence in student learning.

Main Results:

• The orientation strategy helped students cope with the stress of beginning their placement.
• Students were better able to absorb necessary new information.
• Facilitated guided independence in the learning process.

Conclusions:

• A carefully planned orientation is crucial for managing student stress in clinical settings.
• Applying adult learning principles can improve the effectiveness of student orientations.
• Orientation strategies can empower students to navigate new learning environments successfully.