Clinical Learning Experience Essay

Clinical Learning Experience Essay

Part 1.

Simulation experiences and campus laboratory are increasingly becoming important education tools for imparting practical nursing skills and knowledge among students prior to having live patient experiences. In fact, they are considered important because of seven reasons. Firstly, they improve patient safety and quality efforts through allowing students to acquire practical skills in an environment where mistakes are allowed and can be corrected. Secondly, they address existing gaps in clinical settings and conditions. Thirdly, they fill the need for clinical and faculty site resources through acting as a cheaper alternative. Fourthly, they allow students to achieve competence at a faster pace. Fifthly, they act as a safe learning environment. Sixthly, they offer a controlled environment where students can experiment with different care approaches to learn about their effects and implications. Finally, they allow for structured feedback that identifies the students’ shortcomings and offer opportunities for improvements (Gaberson, Oermann & Shellenbarger, 2015). Clinical Learning Experience Essay

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Still, these tools offer some disadvantages. Firstly, they are a questionable return on investment since they cannot simulate all care conditions realistically. To be more precise, they cannot replicate the complex social context of the clinical environment. Secondly, they place a drain on faculty resources as setting them up is costly. Thirdly, they take up space that can be used for other activities. Fourthly, they only focus on some competencies and yet nursing is a multifaceted profession. Fifthly, they require the full engagement and participation of the learner. Finally, they are unrealistic since the student is aware that this is simply a practical/simulation, and may not be motivated to learn as would be the case when faced with real patients requiring nursing care (Gaberson, Oermann & Shellenbarger, 2015).

Part 2.

Clinical learning experience is an important component of nursing education. There are five expectations for the experience. The first expectation is to learn about appropriate interaction and communication between students and other stakeholders who include patients, staff, family and others. The second expectation is to incorporate both practice and theory in clinical education, with the evaluation being based on an appropriate criteria and faculty acting as a factor to reduce the gap between practice and theory. The third expectation is to have access to specialized instructors with specific emphasis on the motivation and knowledge as important factors in learning. The fourth expectation is to overcome their fears in handling patients, especially with regards to the fear of harming patients and desire to help others. The final expectation is to demonstrate expertise and competence in the profession (Gaberson, Oermann & Shellenbarger, 2015).

Communicating these expectations to students requires a structured approach that has the faculty transparently communicating the expectations. The first strategy is to make the expectations visible through offering them in a written format. The second strategy is to link the expectations to evaluations (Billings & Halstead, 2016).

Students failing to meet the expectations could be caused by a range of reasons. Firstly, there is a need to understand why the student failed to meet the expectations. For instance, some students fail to meet expectations because of worry and sickness while other did not understand the expectations. Secondly, there is a need to communicate with the student about the expectations and the causes of the shortcomings identified in the first step. Finally, it is important to stay true to the expectations and rules, and not to lower them simply because a student failed to meet them (Billings & Halstead, 2016).  Clinical Learning Experience Essay

Party 3.

The factors to be considered when planning the pre-conference, post-conference and off-unit experiences are evaluated at the individual level (students factors), faculty level (nurse tutors), practice environment level (medical facility), and school environment. Firstly, at the individual level; students’ prior knowledge and attitudes towards learning. Secondly, at the faculty level; the clinical instructors’ knowledge, population, experience and attitudes affect the students’ performance. Thirdly, at the practice environment level; the clinical facility’s size, equipment, care provided, and care specialties have an effect. Finally, the school environment; it has an effect through creating opportunities for interpersonal relationships and cooperation among students to improve their performance (Billings & Halstead, 2016).

References

Billings, D. & Halstead, J. (2016). Teaching in nursing: a guide for faculty (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Gaberson, K. B., Oermann, M. H. & Shellenbarger, T. (2015). Teaching in nursing: a guide for faculty (4th ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company, LLC.

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Clinical Learning Experience Essay