Student nurses’ perceptions of guidance and support in rural hospitals

Abstract

Background: Clinical guidance and support of nursing students in rural hospitals is a challenge for novice nurses, who rotate amongst accredited hospitals throughout the province for clinical exposure, and fid themselves in an unfamiliar environment. Theory learned at the training college is integrated with clinical exposure at hospitals and supplemented through teaching by hospital staff. Nursing students complain about lack of support and guidance from professional nurses within the hospital, some feeling restricted in execution of their nursing tasks by professional nurses and other staff. Students perceived negative attitudes from clinical staff, a lack of clinical resources, inadequate learning opportunities and a lack of support and mentoring during their clinical exposure.Objectives: This article describes perceptions of guidance and support of nursing students by professional nurses in a rural hospital and suggests guidelines for clinical guidance and support of nursing students.Method: A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was used. Two focus group interviews were employed to collect data from a sample drawn from level II nursing students from one training college in Limpopo Province, South Africa, on different days (n = 13; n = 10). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data.Results: Three themes (mutual distrust and disrespect, hospital environment, and clinical guidance and support) and subthemes (student behaviour and staff behaviour) emerged.Conclusion: Failure to support and guide nursing students professionally may lead to high turnover and absenteeism, resulting in students’ refusal to be allocated to a rural hospital for clinical exposure. Proposed guidelines have been formulated for clinical guidance and support of nursing students at the selected rural hospital. The college and hospital management should foster collaboration between the college tutors and professional nurses to ensure adequateguidance and support of nursing students.

Undergraduate nursing students’ experience of clinical supervision

“…Secondly, clinical supervision strongly influences the student nurses’ professional development, identity and socialisation into the culture and norms of the nursing profession, including their choices of area of specialisation (Nabolsia et al 2012 :5849; Severinsson & Sand 2010 :669). Negative clinical supervision experiences could also influence negative attitudes of the student to the profession, for example such students may have a desire to change their career and leave the profession (Matsinhe 2012 :9; Rikhotso, Williams & De Wet 2014 :1). Miller ( 2012 :200) alludes to the link between a supervisor–supervisee’s supportive relationship and the quality of clinical experience gained during the supervision sessions, stating that if the professional relationship is poor, then the students do not gain the best experience they need to develop professionally.…”

“…As a result, nursing students should not experience any supervision that relates to abusive behaviour. Some studies suggest that it is essential that clinical supervisors be experienced and knowledgeable because student nurses have to develop their own skills through the time spent with supervisors (Brunero & Stein-Parbury 2011 :87; Rikhotso et al 2014 :5). Other scholars allude to strengthening of clinical supervision in order to contribute to the student’s personal growth, for example good communication skills (Amsrud et al 2015 :94; Miller 2012 :120; Nabolsia et al 2012 :5853).…”

Second Year Nursing Students’ Experiences of Clinical Placement in a Rural Health Centre

“…Language differences are a result of cultural diversity, which is one of the characteristics of the Namibian population. However, cultural diversity, including languages, are also factors that hinder nursing students from getting required guidance and support in a rural setting (Rikhotso, Williams & de Wet, 2014).…”

A Case Study of an Effective and Sustainable Antiretroviral Therapy Program in Rural South Africa

“…13 Clinics typically have fewer less well-trained staff compared with hospitals, and clinic nurses in charge of HIV care often do not receive the necessary training or support to manage complex ART regimens. [14][15][16] Patients, particularly those who regularly collect medications for chronic diseases, face major barriers to accessing care, such as significant costs and travel time to go to and from the clinic. 17,18 For South Africa to improve treatment and monitoring rates and meet the UNAIDS global goals of 90-90-90 by 2030, the gap between treatment in urban areas and the 43.2% of the population of rural areas must be addressed with sustainable and high-quality ART programs.…”