title: Should we prelab? A student-centered look at the time-honored tradition of prelab in clinical nursing education.
abstract: This study explores clinical preparation (prelab) in nursing education from the student's perspective. More than half of the students surveyed (n = 296) believed prelab learning activities were important; however, they reported that prelab increases stress and decreases sleep quantity. Timing, stress, and anxiety were factors affecting student perception of prelab. The findings suggest that students receive diminishing returns on the time spent on prelab; nevertheless, prelab may enhance their learning and patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Authors Affiliations: Instructor (Mrs Turner), Assistant Professor (Dr Keeler), School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Laureen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keeler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D061214:Patient Safety; D012890:Sleep; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult