Nursing Students’ Satisfaction with Their Clinical Placement

Introduction: Exposure to positive clinical learning experience influences the nursing students' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and interest in continuing the nursing profession. It is widely acknowledged that clinical placement evaluations while students are on placement is very useful for better understanding of what constitutes quality clinical education from the students’ perspective to provide better educational experiences.
Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the nursing students’ satisfaction with their clinical placement experiences and the degree to which their experiences are regarded as positive.
Methodology: A descriptive design was used for the purpose of the study at college of Nursing in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Students enrolled in clinical courses during 2010-2012 were included. Clinical placement evaluation form was used for data collection and students were asked to respond to three open ended questions asking them for the advantages and the disadvantages of each clinical placement and their suggestions for improvement.
Results: The majority of the students (75.6%) agreed or strongly agreed with statements rating their satisfaction with the clinical placement. However, students were dissatisfied with short clinical exposures, staff nurses role and evaluation process from the clinical instructors.
Conclusion: Nursing students were found to be satisfied with their clinical placement but they highlighted negative areas that could be taken into consideration by the faculty members, clinical instructor, clinical staff as well as students to enhance the learning that takes place in the clinical setting.