Twelve Hour Clinical Rotations for Accelerated BSN Students: The Positive and Negative

Tuesday, 14 July 2009

Linda Crumpton, MSN, ACNS-BC
School of Nursing, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR

Learning Objective 1: discuss the pros of 12 hour clinical rotations for accelerated BSN students.

Learning Objective 2: discuss the cons of 12 hour clinical rotations for accelerated BSN students.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to explore the positive and negative effects of 12 hour clinical rotations for accelerated BSN students.  Faculty and student satisfaction are the focus of the study as well as clinical self efficacy. 
Methods: Qualitative methods are being used to explore this phenomenon.  Both in depth interviews and participant observation techniques are being used for data collection.
Results: This study is ongoing. However, preliminary results indicate that students prepared with 12 hour clinicals show greater self efficacy and improved satisfaction in their initial nursing employment experience.
Conclusion: Both students and faculty, during the experience, were dissatisfied with the 12 hour clinicals and the time it involved.  However, once completed, and within the first 6 months of employment, graduate nurses reported greater confidence with clinical skills and decreased hospital orientation times.  Faculty reported the benefits to the students by far outweighed the increased time investment.