Constraints to Effective Clinical Teaching and Assessment of Nursing Students’ Competencies among Nurse Educators and Students in Lagos, Nigeria: A Qualitative Approach

Aim: This qualitative study explored the perception of nursing students and nurse educators on the constraints to effective clinical teaching and assessment of nursing students’ competencies in two selected nursing schools in Lagos state.

Methods: Data was collected through a focus group discussion (FGD) among the population of interest utilizing a focus group discussion guide. The data generated from the FGD on the respondents’ perception of the constraints were categorized based on the thematic analysis of the condensed views.

Results: The result revealed that both groups have similar understanding of what constraints to effective clinical teaching and assessment of nursing students’ competencies means; the most profound constraints as identified by both study groups were; lack of knowledge of the clinical placement objectives by the students, clinical staff, nurse educators and assessors; subjectivity of the clinical assessment tools; lack of cordial relationship among staff; lack of instrument to practice real hands on procedures, and shortage of nurse educators, preceptors and clinical staff. The major effects of the identified constraints as recognized by both groups of respondents were; inadequate skill acquisition, display by the students lack of confidence to carry out procedures and feeling of inferiority complex among their peers from other discipline in the clinical setting. The perceived solutions by both study groups focused on setting and communication of clinical placement objectives, standardized evaluation tool tailored to assessing each skill acquisition, evidence-based and best practices in clinical teaching and assessment.

Conclusion: Considering the influence of nursing education on public health, identifying the constraints will help in restructuring and creating an authentic clinical teaching environment necessary for real ‘hands-on clinical practice and for the perceive solutions to be effective, it requires supports and improvement upon by the training institutions, nursing students and nurse educators for competency development and sustainable benefits to the consumers of health care.