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Authors: Mary Ann Sedlacek MSN and Terry Brennan MSN, APN, FNP-BC
Summary of Project/Conclusions: Clinical nursing faculty are considered experts in their specialty but novice in clinical education. They are uncertain regarding clinical policies and procedures, promoting student critical thinking, completing student evaluations, and making meaningful student assignments (Hinderer, Jarosinski, Mister, & Seldomridge, 2013). In addition clinical faculty are often part time employees and work at designated clinical sites with little contact on the campus (Roberts & Glod, 2013). At Chamberlain College of Nursing we demonstrate Chamberlain Care by our committment to caring for ourselves, our colleagues and our students (Chamberlain College of Nursing, 2014). This clinical debrief program was developed as an extension of that care to our adjunct clinical colleagues. It is essential that nursing education programs provide superior clinical experiences for their students (Roberts, Glod, 2013). During the debrief clinical faculty are provided information and resources on quality, safety, education in nursing, initiatives for promoting critical thinking, Blooms Taxonomy, clinical student evaluation, and patient centered care. During the clinical debrief faculty can share student success stories and challenges. Because the debriefing is held on campus and done on a consistent basis, clinical faculty experience a connection to the campus. Clinical faculty are a valuable component of nursing education and the results of having a consistent clinical faculty debrief on our campus for the last 2.5 years have been very positive. Clinical faculty express that they feel a connection to the campus and more confidence in their role as clinical instructor. They are engaged in a more meaningful way with their students and have many resources to take advantage of for their clinical practice.
Limitations: One of the limitations we have come across is that adjunct clinical faculty are usually employed either part time or full time somewhere else. This can cause a problem with their availability to attend the debriefing consistently. Many of the part time clinical faculty are not fully committed to this part time position. Another limitation we have identified is there are clinical faculty who just don’t utilize the resources provided.
Implications: The clinical debrief helps to define clinical faculty expectations and provide resources for pre and post conferences. It also helps build confidence and a sense of value and connectedness. "Scholars have identified that student's clinical practice and their experiences with clinical instructors play an important role in shaping their professional values" (Dahlke, Baumbusch, Affleck, & Kwon, p. 692). With the need for quality clinical faculty increasing due to the nursing faculty shortage, the clinical debrief can be a valuable avenue used to bridge the gap and transition the adjunct clinical faculty from novice to expert. The clinical debrief ultimately provides a higher quality clinical experience for both faculty and students.