J Korean Acad Soc Nurs Educ.  2014 Aug;20(3):443-451. 10.5977/jkasne.2014.20.3.443.

Clinical Instructors' Role Experience in College of Nursing

• Kang H
• Bang KS
• Park JS
• Yu J
• Hwang I

• KMID: 2327525
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5977/jkasne.2014.20.3.443

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to understand the clinical instructors' role experience in college of nursing.
METHODS
Two focus group interviews were held with a total of 12 clinical instructors. All interviews were recorded and transcribed as they were spoken, and the collected data were analyzed using content analysis of Downe-Wamboldt(1992).
RESULTS
Three themes and six subthemes were extracted from the analysis: 1) Getting recognition of special roles as a clinical instructor: 'Recognizing the role of clinical instructor for guiding student's individual practice goals', 'Recognizing helping and supporting roles for student's successful clinical practice', 2) Having difficulty in performing the role of clinical practice instructor: 'Difficulty from the lack of knowledge and experience as a clinical practice instructor', 'Difficulty from the gap between current clinical practice and purpose of clinical nursing practice', 3) Making efforts to overcome the difficulties as a clinical instructor and accomplishing personal development: 'Making efforts to acquire personal knowledge and experience', 'Making a chance to reflect on and grow up oneself'.
CONCLUSION
Clinical instructors take an important part of clinical nursing education. To improve the quality of clinical nursing education, it is needed role reestablishment and institutional support for clinical instructors on the basis of the understanding of instructors' experience.

Keyword

Qualitative research; Focus group interview; Clinical instructor; Role experience

MeSH Terms

Education, Nursing
Focus Groups
Humans
Nursing*
Qualitative Research