Supervision among Third-year Nursing Students in Selected Nurses Training Schools in Southern Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Nursing education is a combination of theoretical learning and clinical experience. Since nursing is a performance-based profession, Clinical Learning Environment (CLE) and clinical supervision play a significant role in developing the clinical competence of student nurses. Objective: To identify the factors influencing CLE and clinical supervision as perceived by third-year nursing students in selected nursing training schools in Southern Province, Sri Lanka Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among purposively selected 369 third-year n ursing students from nursing schools of Galle, Matara & Hambantota. Data were collected using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire including Clinical Learning Environment and Clinical Supervision + Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) evaluation scale that included five dimensions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics with the use of SPSS version 25.0. Results: Most of the participants were females (87.8%), aged between 23-25 years (81%). The overall mean of the student’s perception was 4.04. The mean of the five dimensions of perception were pedagogical atmosphere 4.19, leadership styles of the ward manager 4.09, Nursing care on the ward-4.17, role of the nurse teacher 4.03 and supervisory relationship 4.02. Among eight sub dimensions of the supervisory relationship, supervisors’ positive attitudes towards supervision had received the lowest mean(±SD) score (3.36±0.976). Pearson correlation indicated that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between pedagogical atmosphere and student’s perception, (r=0.914, p<0.01), leadership style of the ward manager and students' perception (r=0.882, p<0.01), role of the Nurse teacher and students’ perception (r=0.806, p<0.01), nursing care on the ward and student’s perception (r=0.839, p<0.01), supervisory relationship and student’s perception (r=0.857, p<0.01). Conclusions: Supervisory relationship was identified as a key factor influencing CLE as it has given lowest mean score. Supervisors’ positive attitudes were affected by the supervisory relationship. An awareness program on student supervision for nursing staff is recommended. Keywords: CLES+T scale, Clinical Learning Environment, Clinical supervision, Nursing students, Sri Lanka 65