Clinical Learning Environment (clinical + learning_environment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Creating supportive clinical learning environments: an intervention study

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 1-2 2010
Amanda Henderson
Aim., To assess the impact of an intervention aimed to build capacity of registered nurses to enhance the clinical learning environment for undergraduate nursing students. Workplace learning is vital for the development of skills, attributes and knowledge of student nurses. Registered nurses need to be appropriately prepared to maximise student learning during clinical placement. Background., The quality of student learning during clinical practicum is largely dependent on interactions with ward staff. Design., A quasi-experimental design. Method., Measurement of students' perceptions of the psycho social learning environment during and outside of the intervention period was used to evaluate the capacity building intervention. The capacity building intervention consisted of interactive education in clinical areas over a six-week period for registered nurses in two acute surgical wards. Results., First, second and third year students (n = 62) who undertook their clinical practicum in the two surgical wards, before, during and six months after the capacity building intervention assessed the psycho-social learning environment at the time of their clinical practicum. Findings showed that students who undertook their clinical practicum during the intervention period rated the psycho-social clinical learning environment significantly higher than students who undertook their practicum at times outside of the intervention period. Conclusions., An experienced researcher/educator conducting capacity building sessions can effectively assist and support registered nurses to engage with students. Relevance to clinical practice., Capacity building sessions can improve practice, however, structures and processes that ensure continuation of practice change need to be embedded for improvements to be sustained. [source]


Survey of the learning activities of Australasian radiation oncology specialist trainees

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL IMAGING AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
T Holt
Summary Trainee radiation oncologists must master a substantial body of skills and knowledge to become competent specialists. The resources available to support this are limited. We surveyed the 90 registrars enrolled in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Surgeons (RANZCR) radiation oncology training programme to obtain a range of information about their learning activities (with a significant focus on part 1 teaching). Responses were received from 59 registrars (66% of those eligible). Trainees reported spending a median 2.5 h per week (range 0,10 h) in formal teaching activities. With regard to part 1 exam preparation, 83% reported having had physics teaching , the median quality was 5/7; 88% had radiobiology teaching , the median quality was 4/7; 52% had anatomy teaching , the median quality was 3/7. Registrars training within the RANZCR radiation oncologists training programme perceive their own clinical learning environment as generally good; however' 50% of respondents felt that more teaching was needed for part 1 subjects. This compared with only 19% of respondents who felt that more teaching was required for part 2 exam preparation. Innovative solutions, such as centralized web-based teaching, may help to address weaknesses in part 1 teaching. With increasing demands on radiation oncologists and trainees it will be important to monitor learning environments. [source]


Validation of a method to measure resident doctors' reflections on quality improvement

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2010
Christopher M Wittich
Medical Education 2010:44: 248,255 Objectives, Resident reflection on the clinical learning environment is prerequisite to identifying quality improvement (QI) opportunities and demonstrating competence in practice-based learning. However, residents' abilities to reflect on QI opportunities are unknown. Therefore, we developed and determined the validity of the Mayo Evaluation of Reflection on Improvement Tool (MERIT) for assessing resident reflection on QI opportunities. Methods, The content of MERIT, which consists of 18 items structured on 4-point scales, was based on existing literature and input from national experts. Using MERIT, six faculty members rated 50 resident reflections. Factor analysis was used to examine the dimensionality of MERIT instrument scores. Inter-rater and internal consistency reliabilities were calculated. Results, Factor analysis revealed three factors (eigenvalue; number of items): Reflection on Personal Characteristics of QI (8.5; 7); Reflection on System Characteristics of QI (1.9; 6), and Problem of Merit (1.5; 5). Inter-rater reliability was very good (intraclass correlation coefficient range: 0.73,0.89). Internal consistency reliability was excellent (Cronbach's , 0.93 overall and 0.83,0.91 for factors). Item mean scores were highest for Problem of Merit (3.29) and lowest for Reflection on System Characteristics of QI (1.99). Conclusions, Validity evidence supports MERIT as a meaningful measure of resident reflection on QI opportunities. Our findings suggest that dimensions of resident reflection on QI opportunities may include personal, system and Problem of Merit factors. Additionally, residents may be more effective at reflecting on ,problems of merit' than personal and systems factors. [source]


How undergraduate clinical learning climates differ: a multi-method case study

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 10 2008
Klarke Boor
Context, The clinical learning climate affects undergraduate medical students' behaviour, satisfaction and success. Most studies predominantly describe aspects of the clinical learning climate using quantitative methodologies, such as questionnaires. This study aimed to illuminate medical students' perceptions of the clinical learning climate, and which factors and their interactions explain differences in clinical learning climates. Methods, We carried out a multi-method case study. Twelve departments of obstetrics and gynaecology distributed the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM), a reliable questionnaire measuring the clinical learning environment, among medical students. After analysis (using anova and post hoc tests), 14 medical students from the highest- and lowest-scoring departments participated in semi-structured interviews. We analysed the transcribed recordings using a content analysis approach. Researchers agreed on coding and an expert group reached consensus on the themes of the analysis. Results, We found a significant difference between departments in PHEEM scores. The interviews indicated that department and medical student characteristics determine the clinical learning climate. For departments, ,legitimacy', ,clerkship arrangements' and ,focus on personal development' were the main themes. For medical students, ,initial initiatives', ,continuing development' and ,clerkship fatigue' were the principal themes. The amount and nature of participation played a central role in all themes. Conclusions, Differences between clinical learning climates appear to be related to differing approaches to participation among departments. Participation depends on characteristics of both departments and students, and the interactions among them. The outcomes give valuable clues to how a favourable clinical learning climate is shaped. [source]


Creating supportive clinical learning environments: an intervention study

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 1-2 2010
Amanda Henderson
Aim., To assess the impact of an intervention aimed to build capacity of registered nurses to enhance the clinical learning environment for undergraduate nursing students. Workplace learning is vital for the development of skills, attributes and knowledge of student nurses. Registered nurses need to be appropriately prepared to maximise student learning during clinical placement. Background., The quality of student learning during clinical practicum is largely dependent on interactions with ward staff. Design., A quasi-experimental design. Method., Measurement of students' perceptions of the psycho social learning environment during and outside of the intervention period was used to evaluate the capacity building intervention. The capacity building intervention consisted of interactive education in clinical areas over a six-week period for registered nurses in two acute surgical wards. Results., First, second and third year students (n = 62) who undertook their clinical practicum in the two surgical wards, before, during and six months after the capacity building intervention assessed the psycho-social learning environment at the time of their clinical practicum. Findings showed that students who undertook their clinical practicum during the intervention period rated the psycho-social clinical learning environment significantly higher than students who undertook their practicum at times outside of the intervention period. Conclusions., An experienced researcher/educator conducting capacity building sessions can effectively assist and support registered nurses to engage with students. Relevance to clinical practice., Capacity building sessions can improve practice, however, structures and processes that ensure continuation of practice change need to be embedded for improvements to be sustained. [source]