Disconnects in pedagogy and practice in community health nursing clinical experiences: Qualitative findings of a mixed method study.
BACKGROUND
Many baccalaureate schools of nursing are using non-traditional placements for undergraduate community health clinical rotations. These placements occur at agencies not organizationally affiliated with the health care system and they typically do not employ registered nurses (RNs).


OBJECTIVE
In this paper, we describe the qualitative findings of a mixed method study that explored these gaps as they relate to pre-registration nursing students' preparation for community health roles.


RESULTS
While non-traditional community health placements offer unique opportunities for learning through carefully crafted service learning pedagogy, these placements also present challenges for student preparation for practice in community health roles. The theory-practice gap and the gap between the expected and actual performance of new graduates are accentuated through the use of non-traditional community clinical experiences. These gaps are not necessarily due to poor pedagogy, but rather due to the perceptions and values of the stakeholders involved: nursing students, community health nursing faculty, and community health nurses.


CONCLUSIONS
New ways must be developed between academe and community health practice areas to provide students with opportunities to develop competence for practice.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, T1K 3M4. Electronic address: em.pijlzieber@uleth.ca.
Em M
EM
Pijl-Zieber
Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: sylvia.barton@ualberta.ca.
Sylvia
S
Barton
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada. Electronic address: olu.awosoga@uleth.ca.
Olu
O
Awosoga
The Division of Community Engagement, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: jill.konkin@ualberta.ca.
Jill
J
Konkin
D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000592:standards; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching
Clinical education; Community health nursing; Competence; Mixed method; Nursing education; Qualitative; Undergraduate