Facilitation of the student nurse by a clinical nurse: the learner experience

Abstract

Qualified nurses cannot perform tasks and procedures with confidence due to ineffective mentoring by a clinical nurse during training. Effective mentoring by the clinical nurse, with an additional accredited qualification in his/her field should assist in the development and confidence of the student nurse. The purpose of this study was to explore the learner’s experience of mentoring and facilitation by the clinical nurse, challenges and their view of the clinical nurse, and if this could be a predictive factor to their level of an independent nurse practitioner at the end of training. A non-experimental, descriptive qualitative design was used to identify the experience of the students and newly qualified nurses regarding the amount and quality of facilitation given by the clinical nurse in practice. The research population consisted of all categories of student nurses currently in training as well as qualified nurses within the past year from different facilities. An online semi-structured questionnaire survey was distributed among 45 participants and feedback received by 32 anonymous participants in the public and private sector. The findings of the study indicated that not all newly qualified nurses are able to practice as independent nurses, there’s a lack in mentoring and facilitation by clinical nurses during training and that a clinical nurse should have an additional qualification to better the learner experience.