title: Clinical instructors' knowledge and perceptions about nursing care of older people: a pilot study.
abstract: With an aging population, the majority of nurses will spend their careers working with older people. Currently, there is scant research about clinical instructors' knowledge and perceptions about nursing care of older people despite their instrumental role in preparing nurses for practice. The purpose of this study was to explore clinical instructors' knowledge and perceptions about nursing care of older people. A mixed methods approach was used. Fifteen clinical instructors and 15 nurse educators employed on specialized units for older people completed questionnaires. Independent t-tests were administered. Five of the clinical instructors also participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that clinical instructors had significantly lower scores on knowledge and perceptions about nursing care of older people than practice-based nurse educators. Further, clinical instructors found it difficult to integrate specialized knowledge about nursing care of older people along with other aspects of their teaching. They also reported that it was challenging to support learning about best practices for older people within the current clinical context, which was complex and fast-paced. This study reinforces the need for professional development opportunities for clinical instructors to support their instrumental role in preparing students for practice with older people.
authors.affiliation: Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5, Canada. Electronic address: jennifer.baumbusch@nursing.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumbusch
authors.affiliation: Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, Vancouver Island University, Canada. Electronic address: Sherry.Dahlke@viu.ca.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahlke
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: alison.phinney@nursing.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phinney
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001955:British Columbia; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Clinical instruction; Mixed methods; Older people nursing