Active learning behaviors improve nursing student performance during practicum in a public academic institution of Macao

Leong, Cindy Sin U

Monday, 18 November 2013

Cindy Sin U Leong, DHSc, MHS, BSN, RN
School of Health Sciences, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao, SAR, China
Patricia Lange-Otsuka, Ed.D., MSN, APRN, PHCNS-BC, CNE
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Hawaii Pacific University, Kaneohe, HI

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to identify three characteristics required in active learning behavior to facilitate student performance in the clinical setting.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to articulate how active learning behaviors in the clinical setting can improve student performance and improve preceptor satisfaction.

Background: Nursing students’ assessment and evaluation scores in clinical practicum were not achieving desired scores. Clinical preceptors were verbalizing a general decline and an increasing dissatisfaction with the students' performance.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome of the application of active learning behavior during practicum among nursing students using clinical assessment and evaluation scores as a measurement.

Design: A pilot study was initiated with an intervention of active learning behavior among nursing students to assess the outcomes of the clinical performance. These nursing students were instructed on the basics of active learning behavior prior to the initiation of their clinical experience. Final clinical evaluation were averaged and compared between groups with and without the intervention.

Participants: The participants were 5-group of nursing students (n= 56) across three levels (years 2-4) in a public academic institute of a bachelor degree program in Macao. These participants were having their practicum experiences in medical, surgical, critical-care and palliative areas in public and private settings.

Results: These nursing students were given higher appraisals in verbal and written comments than recent groups. The groups with the invention achieved higher clinical assessment and evaluation scores on average than comparable groups with the active learning intervention. One group of sophomore nursing students (year 2) did not receive as high of evaluations as the other groups, receiving an average score of above 80.

Conclusion: The outcomes suggest that using an active learning model in nursing education may improve student performance in Macao. It is therefore recommended that further study with larger samples and paired control groups might strengthen support for this teaching strategy. Nursing students must engage in active behavior to demonstrate that they are willing to gain knowledge of theory, nursing skills and communication skills during the clinical practicum.

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