Desperately seeking consistency: Student nurses' experiences and expectations of academic supervision.
BACKGROUND
Academic supervision - the support available to students when writing assignments - is a fundamental element in the provision of support within nurse education. Not only can it underpin high levels of academic achievement, but it also has a role in enhancing the retention of students. Despite its importance, there is little investigation of undergraduate academic supervision within the nursing literature.


OBJECTIVE
To explore students' experiences and expectations of academic supervision as part of an undergraduate programme of nurse education.


METHODS
A qualitative approach to explore student perceptions.


METHODS
The research was undertaken at a Higher Education Institution in the United Kingdom. The institution offers undergraduate nurse education programmes to approximately 800 students.


METHODS
Eight pre-registration nursing students from a Bachelor of Science programme participated in a focus group interview. All were in the first semester of their final year.


METHODS
Data were collected using focus group interviewing, based around a semistructured question framework. The focus groups explored students' expectations and previous experiences of academic supervision. The focus group was recorded, responses were transcribed and thematic analysis was undertaken to identify key findings.


RESULTS
Three themes were identified from the data: relationship with supervisor, variation between supervisors, and the link between supervision and marking. Overall, students identified frustration with variability in the provision of academic supervision.


CONCLUSIONS
Effective academic supervision depends on a strong relationship between student and supervisor - something that can be difficult to achieve if supervision is only for a short period of time. Equally, students crave a consistent approach to supervision, in terms of both the amount and content of feedback. Students are able to identify and articulate a clear link between effective supervision and academic achievement.
Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.. Electronic address: l.gratrix@hull.ac.uk.
Lesley
L
Gratrix
Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.. Electronic address: d.i.barrett@hull.ac.uk.
David
D
Barrett
D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005246:Feedback; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards*
Academic achievement; Student experiences; Student retention; Students, nursing