NURSING STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE CLINICAL PRACTICE ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Background: The clinical practice environment significantly impacts nursing students' learning attitudes, practice, and professional development. Evaluating this environment is crucial for making improvements that enhance students' practical skills.

Objectives: To determine nursing students' perceptions of various aspects of the clinical practice environment and identify related factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2022 on 214 nursing students from the Faculty of Nursing – Medical Technology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. Three areas of the CLES+T scale developed by Saarikoski were used to evaluate the clinical practice environment: the pedagogical atmosphere, perceptions of ward leadership style, and the premises of nursing on the ward.

Results: The mean scores for the clinical pedagogical atmosphere, perceptions of ward leadership style, and premises of nursing on the ward ranged from 3.84 to 4.15. The nursing care foundation scored the highest at 4.15 ± 0.61. Analysis showed that CLES scores for the clinical pedagogical environment and ward leadership style were related to students' interest in nursing (p <0.001). The CLES score for the premises of nursing on the ward was related to gender (p=0.042), academic year (p <0.001), interest in nursing (p=0.004), and total clinical practice time (p <0.001).

Conclusion: The clinical practice environment was positively evaluated by students. This study highlights the importance of improving the pedagogical environment and fostering students' passion for nursing. Encouraging passion and regularly evaluating the clinical practice environment are necessary to create an optimal environment for students.

Keywords: nursing, clinical practice, pedagogical environment