Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania

There is an increased call for improving the environment in which nursing students learn the clinical skills. Clinical practice in the clinical placement sites should allow students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real environment, develop nursing skills and clinical reasoning, and observe...

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Main Authors: Helena Marco Gemuhay, Albino Kalolo, Robert Mirisho, Beatrice Chipwaza, Elijah Nyangena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Nursing Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3453085
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author Helena Marco Gemuhay
Albino Kalolo
Robert Mirisho
Beatrice Chipwaza
Elijah Nyangena
author_facet Helena Marco Gemuhay
Albino Kalolo
Robert Mirisho
Beatrice Chipwaza
Elijah Nyangena
author_sort Helena Marco Gemuhay
collection DOAJ
description There is an increased call for improving the environment in which nursing students learn the clinical skills. Clinical practice in the clinical placement sites should allow students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real environment, develop nursing skills and clinical reasoning, and observe and adapt the professional role. This study aimed at identifying the factors influencing performance in clinical practice among preservice diploma nursing students in Northern Tanzania. This study relied on a cross-sectional analysis of data collected from nursing schools in Northern Tanzania in which 208 (123 nursing students and 85 nurse tutors) participants were recruited in the study. Data was gathered using a self-administered questionnaire which collected information on sociodemographic characteristics and factors influencing clinical practice categorized in students’ factors, hospital based factors, social-economic factors, and nurse tutors opinions assessed. Descriptive analyses and chi-square test were employed to understand the background information of the sample and association between variables. Majority of the nursing students (84.4%) agreed that clinical placement offers students adequate opportunity for clinical practical learning. Barriers to effective clinical learning was reported by 70.1% of the participants and the barriers include student factors such as lack of self-confidence and absenteeism, school factors such as improper supervision, and poor preparation of clinical instructors or clinical facility factors. We found a significant association between type of barrier and gender (chi-square 0.786, p=0.020). More male nursing students (62.1%) significantly reported unsupportive environment as a barrier and anxiety was more common in female nursing students (48.9%) (p=0.020). Reporting of barriers to effective clinical learning by students from different schools of nursing was not significant (P=0.696). In addition, age of participants did not have significant association with effective clinical practice (p=0.606). Student’s factors and placement based factors played an important role to influence clinical learning experiences. Offering preclinical orientation, distributing and clarifying clinical learning objectives to students, and frequent visits and supervision of students in clinical area may improve student learning experience in clinical placement. In addition, tailoring the interventions to gender may improve learning experiences.
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spelling doaj-art-24a9b0f7764e4a23ad1ef6ae2fa2a8122025-02-03T06:01:12ZengWileyNursing Research and Practice2090-14292090-14372019-01-01201910.1155/2019/34530853453085Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern TanzaniaHelena Marco Gemuhay0Albino Kalolo1Robert Mirisho2Beatrice Chipwaza3Elijah Nyangena4School of Health Sciences, Kenya Methodist University, KenyaFaculty of Medicine, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Ifakara, TanzaniaFaculty of Medicine, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Ifakara, TanzaniaFaculty of Medicine, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Ifakara, TanzaniaSchool of Health Sciences, Kenya Methodist University, KenyaThere is an increased call for improving the environment in which nursing students learn the clinical skills. Clinical practice in the clinical placement sites should allow students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real environment, develop nursing skills and clinical reasoning, and observe and adapt the professional role. This study aimed at identifying the factors influencing performance in clinical practice among preservice diploma nursing students in Northern Tanzania. This study relied on a cross-sectional analysis of data collected from nursing schools in Northern Tanzania in which 208 (123 nursing students and 85 nurse tutors) participants were recruited in the study. Data was gathered using a self-administered questionnaire which collected information on sociodemographic characteristics and factors influencing clinical practice categorized in students’ factors, hospital based factors, social-economic factors, and nurse tutors opinions assessed. Descriptive analyses and chi-square test were employed to understand the background information of the sample and association between variables. Majority of the nursing students (84.4%) agreed that clinical placement offers students adequate opportunity for clinical practical learning. Barriers to effective clinical learning was reported by 70.1% of the participants and the barriers include student factors such as lack of self-confidence and absenteeism, school factors such as improper supervision, and poor preparation of clinical instructors or clinical facility factors. We found a significant association between type of barrier and gender (chi-square 0.786, p=0.020). More male nursing students (62.1%) significantly reported unsupportive environment as a barrier and anxiety was more common in female nursing students (48.9%) (p=0.020). Reporting of barriers to effective clinical learning by students from different schools of nursing was not significant (P=0.696). In addition, age of participants did not have significant association with effective clinical practice (p=0.606). Student’s factors and placement based factors played an important role to influence clinical learning experiences. Offering preclinical orientation, distributing and clarifying clinical learning objectives to students, and frequent visits and supervision of students in clinical area may improve student learning experience in clinical placement. In addition, tailoring the interventions to gender may improve learning experiences.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3453085
spellingShingle Helena Marco Gemuhay
Albino Kalolo
Robert Mirisho
Beatrice Chipwaza
Elijah Nyangena
Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania
Nursing Research and Practice
title Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania
title_full Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania
title_fullStr Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania
title_short Factors Affecting Performance in Clinical Practice among Preservice Diploma Nursing Students in Northern Tanzania
title_sort factors affecting performance in clinical practice among preservice diploma nursing students in northern tanzania
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/3453085
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