Quality of clinical education (A case study in the viewpoints of nursing and midwifery students in Islamic Azad University, Falavarjan Branch)

Abstract

Aims: The problems of clinical education have the undesirable effects on achieving the goals of nursing and midwifery education and ultimately the community health. No doubt the assessment of clinical education in the viewpoints of students plays an important role in finding the problems and promoting the quality of education. The aim of this study was to determine the quality of clinical education in the viewpoints of nursing and midwifery students.
Methods: In this descriptive cross- sectional study 361 nursing and midwifery students of Islamic Azad University, Falavarjan Branch was selected via census method. Data was collected, using a demographic characteristic form and clinical education quality questionnaire in five fields. Data was analyzed using Independent T, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation tests.
Results: The total quality of clinical education was at intermediate level. In the field of goals and educational plans, supervision and evaluation, instructor's performance and dealing students at the intermediate level and in educational environment was weak. Educational environment was evaluated in weak level by 55/1% of students. In the viewpoints of midwifery students clinical education quality in the fields of goals and educational plans, educational environment, and supervision and evaluation was significantly higher (p<0.05). Quality of the all fields was significant difference in terms of semester (p<0.05).
Conclusions: It can identify current strengths and weaknesses of clinical education status with frequent evaluations. It seems that providing appropriate clinical education environment, dealing students and using expert clinical instructors are essential for solving clinical education problems of nursing and midwifery.
KeyWords: Clinical Education, Quality, Nursing Education, Nursing Students, Midwifery students