Nursing students' early exposure to clinical practice: an innovation in curriculum development.

This paper describes a pilot study addressing issues surrounding the balance and status given to both theory and practice in the foundation part of a pre-registration programme. Contemporary thinking seems to suggest that there is a need to reverse recent trends which have placed an emphasis on theory. To facilitate this a framework for clinical learning was adapted to guide students' early exposure to clinical practice. The focus was to develop the students' observational and reflective skills whilst also providing the students with a frame of reference within which they could explore their theoretical studies. The information and experiences gained as a result of this study have led to the integration of an Orientation Framework to support students' early clinical experiences in a pre-registration programme.

Benefits of nurse teachers returning to clinical practice.

This article outlines an action research study developed to facilitate nurse teachers returning to clinical practice. The article explores how the teachers established partnerships with clinicians through which they were able to share the experience of returning to an area of nursing that they had previously only visited. It discusses four categories: expectations of self and others; entering someone else's world; more awareness of student needs; and teaching theory and practising nursing. These categories emerged following the analysis of journals, focus group interviews and individual interviews and led to a number of recommendations concerning the implications for other teachers wishing to return to clinical practice.

Using 'a Vision for the Future' targets to change practice.

This article reviews the progress of a gynaecology unit towards meeting the targets set by A Vision for the Future (DoH/NHSME 1992). The authors describe how the targets have helped change practice and detail the initiatives developed to facilitate such change.