title: Improving the quality of nursing students' clinical placements in nursing homes: an evaluation study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore students' experiences during their clinical placements in five nursing homes after implementing measures to improve the learning environment. It is vital to stimulate more future nurses to consider a career within geriatric wards and nursing homes. One way to achieve this, is to enhance nursing students' learning experiences during clinical placements in these settings. Measures to improve the learning environment were implemented as a result of a joint effort between a university college and five nursing homes. An explorative design was developed to collect empirical data concerning the students' experiences expressed through questionnaires and logs. The results generally conveyed more positive than negative experiences. Students expressed most satisfaction with peer collaboration, the placement's contribution to awareness of future nursing role and described the learning arena as exciting and interesting. They expressed less satisfaction with supervision from preceptor and how the practice site was prepared for and organized students' placements. Clinical placement arenas and educational institutions should collaborate closely to explore and develop models of supervision appropriate for the nursing home context, to build on existing potentials and resolve the issues that represent barriers for creating interesting and effective learning environments.
authors.affiliation: Lovisenberg Diaconal University College, Lovisenberggt. 15b, N-0456 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: grethe.brynildsen@ldh.no.
authors.forename: Grethe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brynildsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, University of Oslo, Postboks 1130 Blindern, N-0318 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: i.t.bjork@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Ida Torunn
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Bjørk
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Sciences, Telemark University College, Postboks 203 N-3901 Porsgrunn, Norway. Electronic address: karin.berntsen@hit.no.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berntsen
authors.affiliation: Lovisenberg Diaconal University College, Lovisenberggt. 15b, N-0456 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: margrete.hestetun@ldh.no.
authors.forename: Margrete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hestetun
mesh_terms: D036262:Empirical Research; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Clinical placements; Learning environment; Nursing homes; Nursing students