Main Article Content

Nursing students’ experiences of clinical assessment at a university in South Africa


Gabieba Donough

Abstract

Background: Nursing education includes both classroom and clinical teaching. The clinical teaching was explored through this research. The successful  training of the undergraduate nursing students can be attributed to effective clinical teaching and supervision and is determined by both training  requirements and services provided. Although there have been several researches on clinical supervision, there is still a dearth of information of the  realities of supervision regarding assessment of undergraduate nursing students. The authors’ original thesis formed the foundation of this manuscript.  


Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe nursing students at the undergraduate level experiences regarding clinical supervision.


Setting: The research was conducted at a nursing school at a South African university.


Method: After ethical clearance, focus group interviews were conducted to explore undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of clinical supervision  using a descriptive design and qualitative approach. Two qualified practitioners in the field collected the data. A purposive method was utilised to select  nine participants from each year’s level of education. Enrolled undergraduate nursing students at the institution under study formed the inclusion  criteria. Utilising content analysis, the interviews were analysed.


Results: The findings confirmed the students’ experiences of clinical supervision and  voicing their concerns regarding clinical assessment versus a developmental training; clinical teaching, learning and assessment and formative  assessment procedures.


Conclusion: A responsive clinical supervision system to strategically respond to the needs of undergraduate nursing students  will aid in developmental training and assessment.


Contribution: Understanding of the realities of clinical teaching and supervision regarding clinical  assessment and development of undergraduate nursing students. 


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2071-9736
print ISSN: 1025-9848