Factors Influencing Clinical Learning Environment: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Nursing education includes cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains to equip students with essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes for professional practice. Clinical practice is a crucial component of the baccalaureate nursing program, where teachers guide students in applying classroom theory in real clinical settings.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify and compare satisfaction levels with clinical learning environments among undergraduate nursing students in public and private colleges in Hayatabad, Peshawar.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Northwest College of Nursing and the Institute of Nursing Sciences (KMU). Ethical approval was obtained from the Northwest Institute of Health Sciences. First- and second-semester students were excluded from the study. Data were collected using a pre-structured questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha, 0.82–0.96), and participants provided informed consent. SPSS version 28 was used for data analysis. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables; mean, mode, and standard deviation for continuous variables; and a T-test was used for inferential analysis.

Results: The total number of participants was 192, with 63% (121) males and 37% (71) females. Clinical supervision was provided by clinical teachers (30.3%), nursing managers (4.7%), and nursing staff (65.1%). In private institutes, only 3.1% (2) were unsatisfied compared to 96.9% (62) in government institutes. Furthermore, 73.4% of private institute students were satisfied compared to only 26.6% (43) in government institutes.

Conclusion: These findings indicate significantly higher satisfaction levels in private nursing colleges compared to public ones regarding clinical learning environments.