Best Practice in Clinical Facilitation of Undergraduate Nursing Students: The Perspectives of Clinical Facilitators

Abstract

This study sought to investigate what constituted best practice in clinical facilitation of undergraduate nursing students from the perspectives of those who undertake this role in health care agencies. Understanding clinical facilitation is important for maintaining quality of care, staff and student retention with an emphasis on employment and educational practices. The clinical facilitators reflected on their role highlighting aspects of the role and influences that either help or hinder them in achieving best practice. The study is important and unique educationally because what constitutes best practice in clinical facilitation can potentially inform both educational and management strategies for clinical facilitation. Importantly, this knowledge could strengthen opportunities for recruitment and retention of these members of the nursing workforce. A case study using an interpretive, naturalistic approach was conducted to identify best practice in clinical facilitation of undergraduate nursing students from the clinical facilitators’ perspective. Data included focus group discussions, individual interviews and concept maps produced by focus group participants. Participants were recruited from the Griffith University School of Nursing and Midwifery Clinical Facilitator Database with data collected at a time and place of mutual convenience. Thematic analysis, with constant comparison of focus group discussions, interview data and concept maps was used to identify three common themes and ten subthemes.