Factors that affect theory-practice integration of student nurses at a selected campus of a nursing college in the Limpopo Province

Abstract

The overall purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors that affect theory-practice integration of student nurses at a selected campus of a nursing college in the Limpopo Province. Quantitative, descriptive, explorative and cross-sectional designs were used to accomplish the objectives of the study. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires with a few open-ended questions. The respondents were student nurses (n=106) and nurse educators (n=9). The findings revealed that failure of biological and natural sciences subjects, the use of traditional teaching strategies, inadequate use of simulation laboratory, inadequate clinical supervision, a shortage of resources, nature of the assessment process, extent of interest in the subject (s) taught, inability to draw clinical experiences during theoretical teaching, overpopulation of student nurses in the clinical area, negative attitude of ward staff and differences between the simulated skills and the actual clinical procedures in the ward affect theory-practice integration.