Aim

The aim of this study was to increase understanding of nursing students’ learning during clinical education in relation to the nursing process.

Background

Nursing students’ learning during clinical education is of great importance in creating meaning for theory and development of core competencies. As a theoretical model, the nursing process is challenging to apply in practice for both students and registered nurses, although use of the model has benefits for patient care.

Design

This is a descriptive qualitative study with an abductive approach. Methods: Twelve semi-structured interviews with nursing students in education from six universities in Sweden were conducted in 2021–2022. Data were examined using qualitative content analysis.

Results

The results revealed that the nursing process supported learning when theory and practice ‘spoke the same language’. This allows for the opportunity to perform in a consistent way with the theory, while obtaining awareness of an invisible process. Furthermore, the nursing process supported learning by incorporating a thought structure for the student´s professional role through developing independence to conduct a holistic assessment and increasing an understanding of the nurse´s area of responsibility.

Conclusion

The results revealed that when theory and practice were aligned, the nursing process became a meaningful structure to develop a sustainable, safe way of thinking for one's future professional role. It is important to use supportive pedagogical models for students and supervisors that facilitate the integration of concepts of the nursing process in practice.

Aim: This study aimed to describe supervisors' reasoning about conditions for nursing students' learning and development of clinical competence during their clinical education.

Design: A qualitative design with an inductive approach.

Methods: This study used a focus group methodology. A total of 21 supervisors from various hospital wards in northern Sweden participated in six focus groups. The data were analysed according to Krueger and Casey's description of focus groups.

Results: The analysis resulted in one overarching theme with six subthemes that described the conditions during the final year of clinical education. Students' learning and development of clinical competence was seen as an ‘interplay developed over time’ between the supervisor and the student, a mutual give-and-take in the supervisory relationship where both parties were responsible for ensuring that it became a growth opportunity.

Conclusion: The major finding was that the learning and development of clinical competence in students was a result of a dynamic interplay between the student and supervisor. This process is time-dependent, and both the student and supervisor share responsibility for this progression.

Implications for the Profession and Patient Care: Active and conscious reflection is a crucial component in achieving clinical competence. Students should be taught and encouraged to apply and develop reflective skills throughout their education.

Reporting Method: The study adhered to the COREQ checklist for qualitative studies.

Patient or Public Contribution: Registered nurses contributed data for this study.

Aim: To explore the learning processes and prerequisites for nursing students to develop and achieve passing clinical competence, following an initial failing grade in their clinical education.

Design: A constructivist grounded theory study was employed.

Methods: Data were collected between January 2022 and June 2024 through individual interviews with seven undergraduate nursing students retaking their clinical education in the final semester at a university in Sweden. In addition, individual interviews were conducted with four teachers in higher education and two focus group discussions, one with four teachers in higher education and another with a clinical teacher and a supervisor. The data analysis was conducted using an iterative process of constant comparison of data in different phases.

Results: The analysis resulted in a theoretical model of person-centred learning which illustrates nursing students' learning processes and the prerequisites for them to develop and achieve clinical competence in clinical education. The model's core learning processes involve tailoring clinical education to students' needs: acknowledging one's own learning needs, receiving supervision which addresses their specific needs and having an educational institution which meets these needs are the three main learning processes that define student development. Students' acknowledgement of their personal learning needs itself entails three learning processes: trusting one's own knowledge, reflecting on and applying the nursing process, and reflecting on one's own learning. For students to progress in the learning process, prerequisites related to supervision and an educational institution meeting the students' needs must be in place.

Conclusion: The study provides evidence for a person-centred model which promotes nursing students' learning and development of clinical competence during clinical practice at the end of their nursing education.

Implications for the Profession: This model can provide support to coordinators and supervisors in nursing education with regard to planning and implementing clinical education.

Impact: This grounded theory study provides a theoretical model for nursing students' learning and development of clinical competence during their clinical education in their final year of nursing education.A person-centred learning approach in clinical education can provide learning prerequisites for students to successfully achieve learning objectives and develop safe competences for the profession.The findings of the study can offer valuable support and direction to nursing students, educators, and clinical practice supervisors in the planning and implementation of clinical education.

Reporting Method: The study adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist and the Guideline for Reporting and Evaluating Grounded Theory Research Studies (GUREGT).

No Patient or Public Involvement: This study did not include patient or public involvement.