Development of Clinical Teaching Process of the Fundamentals of Nursing with Participatory Approach: an Action Research

Consistent with health care changes, nursing schools also require revising of clinical education programs, especially, the nursing student’s first clinical experience. The first clinical experience is considered the cornerstone in professional nursing education. The present study was conducted with the aim to identify challenges of clinical training of the fundamentals of nursing to undergraduate students and develop them with a collaborative approach in the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Ahwaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

The presents study reports the two operating cycles of an action research with a collaborative approach and focus group discussion, and with the participation of 84 stakeholders. Content analysis approach was used to analyze the data obtained in focus discussion interviews. In addition, reflective evaluation was performed during the operation and final evaluation at the end of each cycle with the participation of all members, including students.

The findings of this qualitative study detected a lack of consistency in planning and implementation of curriculum, inadequate intra- and extra-organizational communication management, inadequate student understanding of situation, and improper control of restrictors and improper use of facilitators in teaching and practice. After classification of problems, educational decision-making authorities of the School developed an operational program within the national curriculum framework through participation in clinical skills and principles training program. Overall, the evaluation results in the two operating cycles confirm that the general success of the action plan is based on professional collaboration of faculty trainers and administrators, and clinical nurses involved in the process.

Planning fundamentals of nursing training in partnership with all those involved in practice and education, together with students can be effective in reducing educational failures, gap between theory and practice, and result in the satisfaction of all stakeholders.