Abstract

Introduction: Clinical education is important part of nursing education that has a key role in the learning of nursing students. It is expected that clinical environment provides opportunities for students to gain valuable experiences. Assessment of clinical learning process based on students’ experiences can be useful in identifying important factors in students' clinical learning.

Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of nursing students' from clinical education in hospitals of Guilan.

Methods: This is a qualitative study (content analysis) and study sample consisted of 19 senior nursing students (term 8) in Guilan University of Medical Sciences (1387). Purposive sampling was used to select samples.

Data collection was performed through interview and based on actual experiences of students from learning in the clinical environment with answer to 6 open questions. Data analysis accomplished according to proposed steps by Graneheim and Lundman (2004).  Three main themes emerged.

Results: Results of data analysis included three main categories and nine subcategories: Professional issues (Unsatisfactory relation, Clinical heterogeneity, Clinical restrictions, Fear, continual Concomitant), clinical learning (Efficient learning, inappropriate Learning), Purpose / Motivation (Promotion of Awareness / Obtain of skills / service to fellow).  

Conclusions: The results based on students' experiences showed some effective factors on obtaining positive experiences like presence of appropriate environment in order to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and support and or obtain of negative experiences like ineffective clinical instructors and fear in clinical environment. Since the main purpose of educating nursing students is to obtain positive clinical experience to provide quality services in the community, so we can provide optimal clinical learning environment aiming positive experience for students using experienced clinical instructors, and environment to apply theoretical knowledge in practice for students.

Key Words: Nursing Education / Nursing Students / Hospitals