Perception of and satisfaction with the clinical learning environment among nursing students.
BACKGROUND
Clinical nursing education provides baccalaureate nursing students an opportunity to combine cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills in the Middle East.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the paper is to assess the satisfaction with and effectiveness of the clinical learning environment among nursing students in Oman.


METHODS
A cross-sectional descriptive design was used.


METHODS
A convenience sample consisting of 310 undergraduate nursing students was selected in a public school of nursing in Oman.


METHODS
Ethical approval was obtained from the Research and Ethics Committee, College of Nursing in 2011. A standardized, structured, validated and reliable Clinical Learning Environment Supervision Teacher Evaluation instrument was used. Informed consent was obtained from all the students. Data was analyzed with ANOVA and structural equation modeling.


RESULTS
Satisfaction with the clinical learning environment (CLE) sub-dimensions was highly significant and had a positive relationship with the total clinical learning environment. In the path model 35% of its total variance of satisfaction with CLE is accounted by leadership style, clinical nurse commitment (variance=28%), and patient relationships (R(2)=27%). Higher age, GPA and completion of a number of clinical courses were significant in the satisfaction with the CLE among these students.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse educators can improvise clinical learning placements focusing on leadership style, premises of learning and nursing care, nurse teacher, and supervision while integrating student, teacher and environmental factors. Hence the clinical learning environment is integral to students' learning and valuable in providing educational experiences.


CONCLUSIONS
The CLE model provides information to nurse educators regarding best clinical practices for improving the CLE for BSN students.
Department of Adult Health and Critical Care, College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. Electronic address: melba123@rediffmail.com.
Melba Sheila
MS
D'Souza
Department of Business Studies, Higher College of Technology, Al Khuwair, Oman.
Subrahmanya Nairy
SN
Karkada
School of Nursing, University of Ulster, Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Electronic address: ak.parahoo@ulster.ac.uk.
Kader
K
Parahoo
Department of Adult Health and Critical Care, College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. Electronic address: ramesh@squ.edu.om.
Ramesh
R
Venkatesaperumal
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory; D009850:Oman; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000379:methods*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Baccalaureate nursing; Clinical learning environment; Clinical placement; Nursing education; Structural equation modeling; Student satisfaction; Supervision; Teaching