How does a student define a “best” clinical educator that will promote their learning in the clinical setting?

Because nursing is a practice based profession, clinical education and the faculty who teach in this setting must be the best and most effective educators they can be to develop and translate what is most important to the next generation of students.

In todays blog, I will go back to an older, but still relevant study in the literature to identify what qualities in a clinical educator are needed by students to most effectively teach them at the bedside.

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As a parent of five children who are now grown, I have recognized that there are numerous parallels between being a parent and a good nurse educator. These include having high but realistic expectations, the importance of setting boundaries, following through with clearly communicated consequences when those boundaries are crossed, and the power of positive role modeling by your lived example. Just like your children, students are also watching nurse educators very closely.

Nehring (1990) validated this same observation over twenty years ago. She identified that from a student’s perspective, the lived example of an educator who is a good role model as a professional nurse is the most important characteristic that distinguishes the best from the worst rated clinical faculty.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the most important traits in the order they were rated by students. Make it a priority to embody each of these in your clinical as well as in the classroom!

1. Good role model

What is your example communicating? Are you living out to your students and colleagues the values and ethics of the nursing profession that include caring, compassion, and respect consistently in all that you do? If there is a lack of integrity demonstrated by faculty due to an inconsistency between what is taught and lived out, students will readily recognize it and are more likely to model what they see lived out.

Tanner (1990) recognized the power of the “hidden curriculum.” It is not what is in the syllabus that students really learn, but the values and example that are role-modeled to students that influence the formative development of students.

2. Enjoys nursing & teaching

As I look back at nurse educators who impacted me in nursing education, it was those that had an obvious passion and love for nursing as a profession and clearly enjoyed working with students and teaching the craft. Though nursing academia can be stressful and draining, do you still got the joy?

3.Well prepared educator

I think it is important to see this value from a student’s perspective. What is communicated nonverbally when an educator comes to class or clinical NOT prepared? An educator can appear incompetent and unprofessional as a result. It tends to decrease student confidence in the ability of an educator especially if it is a pattern. Make it a priority to do what is needed to be prepared for the unexpected in academia!

4. Clinically excellent

This ties in closely with the importance of being an excellent role model. When you as a clinical educator demonstrate excellence, you become an example you want your students to become. If you are a full-time faculty who is unable to remain current in clinical practice by working in the clinical setting, make it a priority to remain current in the literature and best practice in your setting so that this excellence and knowledge is readily communicated to students.

5. Approachable

Do everything possible to be approachable to students so that they are comfortable coming to you for any questions they may have. This is why it is so important to create a safe environment for students to ask questions in the clinical setting. When this is intentionally demonstrated and communicated by faculty, student learning will benefit as a result!

6. Encourages mutual respect

When an attitude and culture of respect is given by the educator towards students, respect will be reciprocated to the educator. But if an educator is rigid, antagonistic or demonstrates other attitudes of disrespect to students, disrespect will be returned. Clark () identified this lived reality as a “dance” where one attitude leads and the same will readily follow.

Another analogy that demonstrates this truth is the biblical principle of “sowing and reaping.” Whatever we sow, we will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

7. Provides support & encouragement

Students are stressed and in need of continual encouragement. Most students are high achievers who feel the burn of nursing education and over time can begin to feel like a failure as they are unable to maintain the high GPA and expectations they had academically in nursing school.

Think of students as sponges. They will readily soak up your knowledge that you can impart and share in the clinical setting as well as your praise and encouragement! Look for the good, be generous with praise and your students will begin to blossom!

In Closing

Are you currently embodying these traits in all that you do in academia? Just as we want students to identify their weaknesses with the goal to make it a needed strength, do the same with these qualities that students are needing in the best clinical educators. In everything, live out and be the nurse you want your students to become and you will be that educator your students will never forget!

Comment Question:
What traits do you feel are most important as a clinical educator? Any others you would add to this list?
Comment below and let the conversation begin!

References

Clark, C.M. (2008). The dance of incivility in nursing education as described by nursing faculty and students, Advances in Nursing Science, 31, E37-E54.

Nehring, V. (1990). Nursing clinical teacher effectiveness inventory: A replication study of ‘best’ and ‘worst’ clinical teachers as perceived by nursing faculty and students, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 15, 934-940.

Tanner, C.A. (1990). Caring as a value in nursing education, Nursing Outlook, 38(2), 70-72.