Clinical learning opportunity in public academic hospitals: A concept analysis

Health SA Gesondheid

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Clinical learning opportunity in public academic hospitals: A concept analysis
 
Creator Motsaanaka, Mpho N. Makhene, Agnes Ndawo, Gugu
 
Subject Health Sciences - Nursing Education Concept Analysis; Clinical Learning Opportunity; Defining Attributes; Student Nurses
Description Background: Clinical learning opportunities (CLO) are vital educational encounters occurring in various clinical areas to provide the student nurses with clinical knowledge and experiences to develop their competencies for professional practice. However, CLO is a broad concept with varied characteristics that allow ambiguity, limiting its understanding and use. Its ambiguous nature leads to uncertainties and poor development of the required clinical attributes of successful theory to practice integration, higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) and clinical competencies.Aim: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the conceptual meaning of CLO, have a clear understanding and insight into the concept and identify the antecedents and consequences for pragmatic purposes.Setting: The study took place in a public academic hospital in Gauteng.Methods: The eight steps of concept analysis by Walker and Avant were followed. Multiple data sources not limited to nursing were explored and critically analysed for the definitions, characteristics, nature and uses of CLO from different fields of study.Results: The defining attributes of CLO were identified, namely the context, antecedents, processes, consequences and outcomes. The context within which CLO occurs was dynamic, multidimensional, real-life healthcare settings; antecedents included planning of clinical placement, provision of learning outcomes and consideration of the cognitive level of the students. Engagement and active participation in collaborative, problem-based learning activities, community-based research and the use of emerging technologies were the processes identified. The outcomes were autonomous, confident, competent professional nurses with critical thinking, clinical reasoning, judgement, critical decision making and problem-solving skills.Conclusion: A theoretical and operational definition of CLO was developed. The findings and results of concept analysis identified and specified the defining attributes of clinical learning opportunity. The findings can assist nurse educators, Clinical Education and Teaching Unit (CETU) personnel and operational managers to enhance CLO for student nurses to achieve their clinical learning goals and outcomes. The evaluation tools that may be adopted to assess the acquired clinical skills were also identified.Contribution: An increase in the existing body of knowledge in nursing education, considering that enhancing the CLO exposes students to various clinical experiences contributing to their development of clinical competencies to solve complex problems. The strategies to enhance the CLO will be developed, which may also provide vital information for policy development. Conceptualisation of the findings to nursing practice and quality patient care will be integrated into relevant literature.
 
Publisher AOSIS Publishing
 
Contributor Agnes Makhene, University of Johannesburg Department of Health Sciences
Date 2022-10-26
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Qualitative Research - Concept Analysis
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/hsag.v27i0.1920
 
Source Health SA Gesondheid; Vol 27 (2022); 11 pages 2071-9736 1025-9848
 
Language eng
 
Relation
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https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1920/html https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1920/epub https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1920/xml https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1920/pdf
 
Coverage South Africa 2019-2022 Extensive literature and multiple data sources not limited to nursing were consulted to explore and critically analyse the definitions, characteristics, nature and uses of clinical learning opportunity from different fields of study.
Rights Copyright (c) 2022 Mpho Norah Motsaanaka, Prof Agnes Makhene, Doctor Gugu Ndawo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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