Investigating The Implementation of a Collaborative Learning in Practice Model of Nurse Education in a Community Placement Cluster: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background:Attracting new graduate nurses to work in the community is problematic, and this has contributed to shortages in this sector in the United Kingdom and internationally. This paper reports the findings of a pilot study to implement Collaborative Learning in Practice in one region of the United Kingdom, which was intended to increase placement capacity, introduce students to this sector, and accelerate their learning and development of key skills and behaviors. Study Aim:To investigate the views of student nurses and the staff supporting them on placement about their experiences of implementing Collaborative Learning in Practice. Methods:We conducted four focus group interviews between winter 2018 and spring 2019, with 31 staff and students in two English counties in the South West of England. These were transcribed and analysed using the Framework Method; themes were discussed and agreed by the research team. Results:Three themes emerged: Peer support, which concerned the benefits of being in placement with other students; Developing and learning, which was about the acquisition of skills including leadership; and Organisation, which related to issues and concerns involved in the preparation and daily management of the collaborative learning in practice experience. Conclusion:Some positive aspects were reported, particularly in relation to hospice and General Practice Nursing placements. Most clear was the supportive potential for peer learning fostered by Collaborative Learning in Practice. Less positive aspects were the potential for horizontal violence and some aspects of nursing home experiences. We believe more work needs to be done to make nursing homes an attractive option for students and new graduates, and regarding visual materials for pre-placement preparation.

Student nurses as a future General Practice Nursing workforce. Implementing Collaborative Learning in Practice: implications for placement learning and patient access. A mixed methods study.

“…Although running their 'own clinics' would appear to individualise students' practice, when opportunities were facilitated or available for sharing and group working (in Friday CLIP sessions and MDT meetings), students took these opportunities to work together and support each other. Peer support has been a consistent theme in our own research [2,7] and that of others [3,9] as a key bene t of CLIP. Indeed it is noted as being central to effective clinical learning in international literature [35,36] with particularly strong bene ts for third year student nurses because they can rehearse leadership roles in the small teams of students in which they learn [35].…”

“…CLIP was initially implemented in hospital settings, where wards were required to increase placement capacity [2], and CLIP was found to have a positive impact on patient safety [6]. Latterly, CLIP has also been trialled in community settings [7], children's mental health care [8], maternity care [9] and physiotherapy placements [10] in the UK. There seems to be no international equivalent term to CLIP, but the concept of Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) appears to offer similar potential for collaborative Interprofessional Learning (IPL) facilitated by clinical coaches [11].…”

Student nurses as a future general practice nursing workforce. Implementing collaborative learning in practice: implications for placement learning and patient access. A mixed methods study

“…Although running their 'own clinics' would appear to individualise students' practice, when opportunities were facilitated or available for sharing and group working (in Friday CLIP sessions and MDT meetings), students took these opportunities to work together and support each other. Peer support has been a consistent theme in our own research [2,7] and that of others [3,9] as a key benefit of CLIP. Indeed, it is noted as being central to effective clinical learning in international literature [35,36] with particularly strong benefits for third year student nurses because they can rehearse leadership roles in the small teams of students in which they learn [35].…”

“…We attribute this to the fact that placement staff, students and university personnel have considerable experience of implementing CLIP and facilitating placement learning using it, as CLIP has been used previously in our region. We have evaluated these developments in our programme of HEE-funded research and noted more critical dialogues in those research publications [ 2 , 6 , 7 ].…”

“…CLIP was initially implemented in hospital settings, where wards were required to increase placement capacity [ 2 ], and was found to have a positive impact on patient safety [ 6 ]. Latterly, CLIP has also been trialled in community settings [ 7 ], children’s mental health care [ 8 ], maternity care [ 9 ] and physiotherapy placements [ 10 ] in the UK. There seems to be no international equivalent term to CLIP, but the concept of Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) appears to offer similar potential for collaborative Interprofessional Learning (IPL) facilitated by clinical coaches [ 11 ].…”