Challenges and experiences of staff working with nursing students in RACFs
An interview with lead author, Dr Rose McCloskey, on the systematic review, ‘Experiences of faculty and staff nurses working with nursing students during clinical placement in residential aged care facilities’.
What is the aim of the systematic review?
The purpose of this review is to understand what it is like for faculty and staff to work with nursing students during their clinical placement in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs). We were particularly interested in the topic because of the need for future nurses to have strong foundational skills in caring for older adults. We also wanted to better understand the unique challenges placed on those working in these often resource poor environments to demonstrate the importance of practicing in a sensitive and person-centered manner.
Why did you choose to study this particular topic?
Three of the five authors of this review have a strong interest, as well as many years of experience, working in nursing education and long-term care settings with students. In addition to our professional interest in the topic, this review was motivated by our previous JBI systematic review that showed nursing students often view clinical placements in residential aged care facilities unfavourably. As a result, students sometimes enter these practice environments with preconceived notions that their learning will be suboptimal, and the clinical experiences will not contribute to their professional development. It is under these conditions that faculty and staff must work with students and prepare them for future nursing careers that will likely involve caring for older adults. Knowledge of faculty and staff experiences with working with nursing students in residential aged care was needed to understand the challenges involved in creating meaningful gerontological clinical elder care.
Why is it important to understand the experiences of faculty and staff working with nursing students in RACFs?
A clinical placement in a residential aged care facility is often a nursing student’s first clinical placement. Because students often care for only one or two residents in this setting and lack a true understanding of chronic health care challenges and the complexities of elder care, they are at risk of completing the placement believing that this care environment is slow paced, and that elder care is easy and a less skilled area of nursing practice. Faculty and staff play a critical role in the education of students by challenging this misperception and ensuring students gain an appreciation for how complex the care of this population can be. Understanding the faculty and staff experience with working with students is an important step in identifying how best to support them in their roles and stimulate students’ interest and appreciation for gerontological nursing practice.
What stood out for us was the view of some staff that they play little, if any role in mentoring nursing students during their clinical placements. The fact that staff can be intimidated by students who are enrolled in higher education and could potentially be their future supervisors was also unexpected. These findings point to the need to prepare care staff on how to work with nursing students, and how to coach and mentor others.
What do the findings from the systematic review tell us?
Findings from this review highlight the need for detailed and thoughtful planning for students’ clinical placements in residential aged care facilities. Care needs to be taken to ensure faculty and staff assigned to work with students have a passion for both older adults and working with students. Students’ learning goals must be clearly articulated to faculty and staff, and intentional efforts made to create meaningful learning experiences. Faculty and staff need to highlight the complexity of older adults, and place expectations on students to exercise critical thinking and evidenced-informed practice.
Were there any findings that were of particular interest to you?
A pleasant and unexpected finding of the review was the positive impact students have on care staff. The fact that students often motivate both professional and unregulated staff to advance their education is noteworthy. While prior reviews have highlighted the benefits nursing students have on professional staff, less attention has been given to their impact on unregulated staff. This finding points to the importance of academic-service partnerships in the aging sector.
Is there anything you would like to highlight about the review, the process, and/or the findings?
Clinical placements in residential aged care facilities present unique challenges to faculty and staff. It is not only important, but necessary, for faculty and staff to have the supports needed to maximize students’ learning and the ability to highlight the care of older adults as both complex and rewarding. Faculty who work with students in elder care settings should have passion and expertise in gerontological nursing, as well as skills in nursing education. Prior to placing students in residential aged care facilities, all care staff should be made aware of the goals of the clinical experience, as well as their role in mentoring students and supporting faculty.
Reference
McCloskey R, Keeping Burke L, Witherspoon R, Cook J, Morris P. Experiences of faculty and staff nurses working with nursing students during clinical placement in residential aged care facilities: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. JBI Evid Synth. 2022;20(5):1176-1208