Learning Nursing Practice: A Multisite, Multimethod Investigation of Clinical Education

Nurses agree that direct practice with actual patients is vital, but the teaching methodologies and faculty-student relationships that optimize students’ learning in clinical settings have not been documented. This study examined students’ thinking and their interactions with faculty during clinical experiences at three academic nursing programs. Findings suggest that missed opportunities for learning, inadequate measures for clinical progress and learning, and lack of interprofessional practice are failing to optimize student clinical learning experiences.