An exploratory study of the perspectives of clinical preceptors about difficult student situations during clinical teaching of final year undergraduate nursing students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of clinical preceptors (CPs) about difficult student situations during clinical teaching and the strategies they use to deal with such situations in the clinical setting. The participants were nurses who perform the role of clinical preceptor for senior nursing students at a University Hospital. The study used a descriptive qualitative approach to collect data through focus group discussions (FGD). Transcribed FGD data were content analyzed and coded to generate categories of difficult student situations in the clinical setting. The findings show that the CPs perceptions about difficult student situations in the clinical setting fall under four major categories of slothfulness, obstinateness, attentiveness and selfishness. The CPs also identified some of the strategies they use to manage these difficult student situations. In conclusion, it seems that during clinical teaching CPs experience challenging difficult student situations some of which can be considered as incivility and have significant implications for clinical teaching or learning and patient care outcomes. There is need for further studies about difficult student situations and incivility in the clinical setting and the effect it has on clinical student teaching, learning outcomes, and patient safety.