Healthcare students' evaluation of the clinical learning environment and supervision - a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of clinical placements and supervision is to promote the development of healthcare students´ professional skills. High-quality clinical learning environments and supervision were shown to have significant influence on healthcare students´ professional development. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe healthcare students` evaluation of the clinical learning environment and supervision, and to identify the factors that affect these. DESIGN: The study was performed as a cross-sectional study. METHODS: The data (n = 1973) were gathered through an online survey using the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale during the academic year 2015-2016 from all healthcare students (N = 2500) who completed their clinical placement at a certain university hospital in Finland. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: More than half of the healthcare students had a named supervisor and supervision was completed as planned. The students evaluated the clinical learning environment and supervision as 'good'. The students´ readiness to recommend the unit to other students and the frequency of separate private unscheduled sessions with the supervisor were the main factors that affect healthcare students` evaluation of the clinical learning environment and supervision. Individualized and goal-oriented supervision in which the student had a named supervisor and where supervision was completed as planned in a positive environment that supported learning had a significant impact on student's learning. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical learning environment and supervision support the development of future healthcare professionals' clinical competence. The supervisory relationship was shown to have a significant effect on the outcomes of students' experiences. We recommend the planning of educational programmes for supervisors of healthcare students for the enhancement of supervisors' pedagogical competencies in supervising students in the clinical practice.

Mentors' competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students during clinical placement.

AIMS: To describe mentors' competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students during clinical placement and identify the factors that affect mentoring. BACKGROUND: Healthcare education is confronted by several challenges in a time characterized by globalization and increasing international migration. Nursing students from diverse backgrounds continue to experience difficulties during clinical placement. Students can overcome these difficulties and assume responsibility for their learning when mentored by supportive and competent mentors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, descriptive explorative study design was used. METHODS: Data were collected during spring 2016 through a survey sent to mentors (n = 3,355) employed at five university hospitals in Finland. Mentors' competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students was measured with the self-assessment Mentors' Competence Instrument and the Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Mentoring scale. The analysis included descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Mentors with experience mentoring nursing students from diverse backgrounds rated their overall competence in mentoring as good. However, the results show continued challenges related to competence in linguistic diversity in mentoring. Seven factors that affect mentors' competence in linguistic diversity were identified. Despite high evaluations by mentors of competence related to cultural diversity in mentoring, there are still opportunities for improvement in this area. CONCLUSION: Innovative and effective strategies are needed to develop mentors' competence in mentoring culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students. Educational and healthcare organizations should strive to enhance collaboration and increase the competence of both mentors and nursing students to work in increasingly diverse healthcare environments.