Summary
The current workforce crisis mandates that education providers increase the number
of graduates from nursing courses. In a practice-based profession however, any growth
in student numbers is constrained by the ability of clinical venues to accept students
for clinical experience. Factors within the operating environment such as bed capacity,
staffing mix and shortage of experienced clinicians to act as preceptors, clinical
teachers, mentors or role models; limit the number of students that can be accommodated
and both the quality and level of educational support provided. These factors are
compounded in rural hospitals, where opportunities for placements can be also overlooked
or ineffectively utilised.
This paper reports on a project undertaken by a rural health service, two universities
and a TAFE institute. It demonstrates that a greater number of students can be accommodated
when all major stakeholders accept responsibility and agree to work together to create
a learning community and find ways to overcome barriers and impediments that constrain
capacity. It is concluded that the capacity of a rural hospital to accept students
for placement can be increased when cancellation rates are reduced, the clinical timetable
rationalised and more collaborative approaches to clinical education are implemented.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 24,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 Royal College of Nursing, Australia. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
