title: Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support.
  
  
  METHODS
  This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.
authors.forename: Vicki M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Coe
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanita
authors.forename: Susan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Moscato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009922:Oregon; D013022:South Carolina; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D013714:Tennessee; D055815:Young Adult