Factors Influencing Teaching and Learning in College of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences
CHAPTER ONE
Purpose of the study
This study investigated factors influencing teaching and learning among nursing and midwifery students in College of Nursing And Midwifery Sciences, in Sokoto state of Nigeria.
Objectives of the study
The objectives of the study were to:
- Identify the administrative factors that affect teaching and learning among nursing and midwifery students in the school laboratories and in the clinical
- Identify the training/supervisory factors that affect teaching and learning among nursing and midwifery students in the school and in the clinical
- Identify students’ factors that affect their teaching and learning in college of nursing and midwifery sciences.
- Determine the differences in the factors that affect teaching and learning among nursing and midwifery students in college of nursing and midwifery sciences.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of nursing education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people live on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels or acts, (Harrison, 2010). In its narrow, technical sense, education is the formal process by which a profession or society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills, customs and values from one generation to another, e.g., instruction in schools (Robert, 2009). Nursing education is a term used to describe the overall body of knowledge that equips people to practice nursing. Although nursing education encompasses a variety of knowledge, attitude, skills, concepts and practice, the universally accepted concept revolves around the unique concepts of nursing, health, the person and the environment (Melone, 2010).
Harrison (2010) affirmed that nursing education is the process of preparing individuals for caring as nurses. Through nursing education, future nurses learn the skills which are necessary to provide patient care, develop and execute treatment, plan and teach clients how to take care of their medical and other conditions. Nursing education consists of acquisition of a body of knowledge that is partly delivered in a classroom setting which forms the theoretical bases of nursing knowledge and an organized and supervised clinical learning experience. This teaching and learning starts with practice in the demonstration laboratory using dummies representing different areas of nursing care. Areas where teaching and learning could be done include different departments in a hospital clinics, homes, communities, psychiatric hospitals, orthopaedic hospital, gynaecological section etc.
Nursing education takes cognizance of the national policy on education in developing sound educational principles which are essential to the preparation of nurses to function as members of interdisciplinary and interdepartmental health teams (N&MCN, 2001). This programme develops the students’ affective, cognitive and psychomotor skills in problem solving. Active participation among nursing and midwifery students in both the community and hospital based services is essential for students sound clinical experience.
The goal of nursing education
The goal of nursing education over the years according to Searle (2000) has been to contribute to the health of individuals and the entire society. Initially, nursing had concentrated on the care and comfort of all the ill and injured but as a result of advances in health sciences, the emphasis is now placed on promotive, preventive and rehabilitative care. Therefore, nursing education aims at preparing competent polyvalent nurse practitioners who will use problem solving skills in providing safe, acceptable, effective and affordable health services to meet the health needs of individuals, families and the community at all levels of care (N&MCN, 2001).
To achieve the aim of nursing education, there should be a systematic direction and guidance of the students. This is to ensure that adequate nursing knowledge is imparted to the students both theoretically and practically to achieve proper skill and problem solving skills acquisition which will lead to efficient nursing care (Quinn 2001).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODS
This chapter presents the research design, area of the study, study population, sample size and instrument for data collection, validity and reliability of instrument, ethical consideration, procedure for data collection and method of data analysis.
Research design
Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used for the study. This design was considered adequate because it has the ability to describe the existing practice and reveals areas that need change. It also yields current and prevailing information about the situation under study as it exists. Polit and Beck (2003) in supporting this line of thought noted that, the descriptive survey design involves a systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting of important facts about the existing event.
Population of study
The total population for the study included all the academic staff and all the students of the college of study.
The total population of teachers and students for the study from the college of nursing and midwifery were six hundred and seventy four (674).
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
PART ONE
Research question one: what are the administrative factors that affect teaching and learning among nursing and midwifery students?
The responses to items 7- 11 in the questionnaire were analyzed to answer questions on administrative factors, (staffing) and presented in Tables 3 and 4.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary of the Findings
The following were the major findings from both nursing institutions which contributed positively or negatively to acquisition of nursing skills.
In school (A), respondents accepted that the following factors contributed positively to students’ teaching and learning:
- Provision of practical laboratory with enough equipment for students use for practice,
- Practical laboratory with large space for all the students to observe what is being thought,
- Library with current nursing text books for references,
- Students repeat demonstration of practical procedures after teachers own teaching,
- Provision of field trips/excursions as training opportunities,
- Involvement of ward nurses in students’ teaching and learning,
- Students’ attendance of clinical experiences regularly and doing assignments given to them,
- Students’ ability to practice on their own and using their procedure manual as a guide for practice (mean scores ≥3.0).
In school (A), respondents accepted that the following factors contributed negatively to nursing students’ teaching and learning:
- Inadequat enumber of teachers to handle subjects in the school,
- Teachers’ non involvement in clinical supervision of students,
- Teachers’ inabilities to finish teaching their courses before students go to the clinical areas,
- Inadequate equipment in the clinical areas for students practice,
- Students’ non usage of the school library,
- Insufficient client in the clinical areas for students practice
- Inadequate number of supervisors for teaching and learning of students,
- Non provision of mentors and preceptors to coach nursing students,
- Supervisors’ inability to give proper supervision and evaluation of clinical performance of students
Recommendations
It is evidenced that some factors influencing teaching and learning among nursing and midwifery students in School of Nursing, Sokoto (SON-A) and Department of Nursing Sciences, Enugu Campus (DNS-UNEC) are poor and inadequate therefore, may hinder nursing skill acquisition. It is therefore recommended that:
- Adequate,experienced and qualified nurse educators and clinical instructors are necessary in any nursing institution and such should be
employed and maintained by the competent authorities.
- Schoolauthority should plan and follow their curriculum based on N&MCN programme in such a way that teachers can finish their courses earlier before students go for such clinical experience so as to be equipped with enough knowledge and
- The school authority should realize that the duration of clinical experienceperiod at each session at a stretch influences the level of overall students’ clinical skill Therefore, clinical experience period should not be too short a period.
- Nurse educators should teach and follow up students to the clinical areasusing the set up guidelines for theory and clinical teaching to prevent theory- practice gap and not go there to police the
- All involved in the training and supervision of students should be updatedwith current trends in nursing and research through seminars/conferences so that they can impart such knowledge to the
- Qualifiedpreceptors and clinical instructors should be employed and motivated for clinical facilitation/supervision of students during their clinical experiences.
- Adequatenumber of qualified nurses should be employed to work in different places where student nurses do their clinical experience to facilitate supervision and teaching in the clinical
- Adequate and spacious practical laboratories should be constructed andequipped with enough equipment to enhance skill acquisition in school (B).
- Provisionof adequate equipment and supplies in the wards are important to facilitate competent teaching and learning in the clinical areas.
- Enough clients are needed in the clinical areas to facilitate and concretizeknowledge and nursing skills in school (A).
- Behaviourmodification to change inferiority complex, bias and other negative attitudes that hinder students, teachers and clinical staff nurses interactions and communication in the clinical areas should be taught during training.
- Supervisors should evaluate students’ performance regularly to elicit areasof weakness and give proper corrections and
- Mentorshiprelationship help students in their professional development and skill acquisition, therefore such people should be provided in the clinical areas.
- Nursingstudents should be involved actively in planning their programmes to ensure their active participation and interest in such
- Clinicalorientation of students before clinical practice should be organized in such a way that all the students should participate
- N&MCNto provide a clearly written standard guidelines and polices on teaching and learning of student nurses.
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