THE ROLE OF THE CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT AND SUPERVISION IN STUDENTS’ SATISFACTION WITH ROTATION PRACTICE EXPERIENCE IN THE UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

ABSTRACT

Clinical rotation experience is an integral part of the nursing curriculum and

crucial component of nursing education, which transforms theoretical

knowledge to practice. However, due to the complex nature of the clinical

learning environment as a social entity, it often influences student-learning

experience. This study was to assess the role of clinical learning environment

and supervision in Nursing and Midwifery students’ satisfaction with rotation

practice experience in University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale. A

cross-sectional analytic survey design was used to assess students’ satisfaction

with clinical rotation experience from UDS Tamale campus. Participants were

selected using stratified random sampling technique. SPSS was used to analyze

data, using frequencies, percentages, and means. Inferential statistics such as

Fisher’s exact test, linear regression and Spearman’s Correlation were used. The

result showed that the level of nursing and midwifery students’ satisfaction with

clinical rotation experience was high (65.6%). Similarly, the level of students’

satisfaction with the clinical supervision and clinical learning environment were

also high (60.3% and 63.5% respectively). The major factors identified, that

influence students clinical rotation experience were clinical supervision, clinical

learning environment and its dimensions (pedagogical atmosphere of the ward

environment, leadership style of nurse manager, and premises of nursing in the

ward). These findings call for the need for nurse educators and clinicians to pay

more attention to the areas highlighted in this study.