title: Students perceive healthcare as a valuable learning environment when accepted as a part of the workplace community.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The healthcare system is complex and the education of medical and nursing students is not always a priority within it. However, education offered at the point of care provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge, and to develop the necessary skills and attitudes needed to practice their future profession. The major objective of this study was to identify students' views of generic aspects of the healthcare environment that influences their progress towards professional competence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected free text answers of 75 medical students and 23 nursing students who had completed an extensive questionnaire concerning their learning in clinical wards. In order to obtain richer data and a deeper understanding, we also interviewed a purposive sample of students. Qualitative content analysis was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified three themes: (1) How management, planning and organising for learning enabled content and learning activities to relate to the syllabus and workplace, and how this management influenced space and resources for supervision and learning; (2) Workplace culture elucidated how hierarchies and communication affected student learning and influenced their professional development and (3) Learning a profession illustrated the importance of supervisors' approaches to students, their enthusiasm and ability to build relationships, and their feedback to students on performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From a student perspective, a valuable learning environment is characterised as one where management, planning and organising are aligned and support learning. Students experience a professional growth when the community of practice accepts them, and competent and enthusiastic supervisors give them opportunities to interact with patients and to develop their own responsibilities.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hägg-Martinell
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hult
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Henriksson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kiessling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult