Paper
Thursday, 20 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Innovations in Nursing Education
A Framework for Understanding the Conflicting Roles of Clinical Instructors
Maureen A. Barry, RN, BScN, MScN, Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Learning Objective #1: understand the complexity of the clinical instructor role via Quinn’s competing values framework from managerial leadership theory.
Learning Objective #2: understand the usefulness of this model in preparing new clinical teachers.
Clinical education is at the centre of nursing education but little is written on the role of the clinical instructor. There is far more written on the preceptor model of teaching. Research has been aimed primarily at identifying effective teaching behaviors as defined by the clinical teacher or the nursing students or discussing the stresses experienced by clinical faculty.  There is little theory development or research in the area of clinical teaching. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the different facets of the clinical instructor role and to make explicit some of the roles. This presentation will explore the complexity of the clinical instructor role using Quinn’s competing values framework (CVF) from managerial leadership theory.  Quinn’s model is useful in exploring the conflicting roles that are played by clinical instructors.  They are mentors who role model, counsel, and guide students; they are directors who take charge and direct the actions of the students.  They are also monitors who evaluate and mark the students; they are brokers who liaison between staff and students and academia and practice.  The presentation will also discuss the usefulness of this model in preparing new clinical teachers.  With the looming nurse educator shortage, it is important to explore the expectations for clinical teachers so that we can hire the appropriate people for the role, prepare useful orientation and ongoing educational sessions and define and reward “good” clinical teaching.  

See more of Innovations in Nursing Education
See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)