Publication

Abstract : Practical hands - on learning opportunities are viewed as a vital component of the education of nursing students. It is therefore important that these clinical learning environments are well suited to student's perceptions and expectations. Purpose of the study was to investigate how undergraduate students enrolled in nursing programs view their clinical learning environment and specifically to compare student's perception of their 'actual' clinical learning environment to that of their 'preferred / ideal' clinical learning environment. The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) was used to collect data from 132 undergraduate nursing students via convenience sampling. Satisfaction of the students was closely linked with the five constructs measured by the CLEI: Personalization, Student Involvement, Task Orientation, Innovation and Individualization. Significant differences were found between the student's perception of their 'actual' clinical learning environment and their 'ideal' clinical learning environment. The study highlights the importance of a supportive clinical learning environment that places emphasis on effective two-way communication. A thorough understanding of student's perceptions of their clinical learning environment is essential.