Are Traditional and Simulated Clinical Environments Meeting Nursing Students' Learning Needs?

Background: The Clinical Learning Environment Comparison Survey compares nursing students' perceptions of how well their learning needs are met in the clinical and simulation environments, providing insight into how to enhance learning opportunities in both environments. Methods: This multisite study took place at nine nursing schools with accredited simulation programs. The CLECS was completed by undergraduate nursing students who had cared for at least one simulated patient and one live patient. Results: One hundred fifty-nine students completed the survey. Subscale means were higher in the traditional clinical environment for three of the six subscales (communication [p < .001], nursing process [p = .026], holism [p < .001]. The subscale mean for teaching-learning dyad [p = .060] was higher in the simulated clinical environment. The total CLECS mean scores (p = .154) were higher for the traditional clinical environment than the simulated environment. Conclusions: The importance of the type of clinical learning environment and associated experiences created for undergraduate nursing student learning cannot be overestimated. Periodic evaluation of both environments from the students' perspective will assist educators with making vital educational decisions. (C) 2021 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study compared nursing students' perceptions of their learning needs being met in traditional clinical and simulated environments. Results showed that students rated communication, nursing process, and holism higher in traditional clinical settings, while the teaching-learning dyad subscale was rated higher in simulated clinical environments.