UNVEILING HOW CLINICAL NURSING EDUCATION CAN BE IMPROVED IN NORTHERN GHANA: THE PERSPECTIVES OF KEY INFORMANTS

Abstract

Introduction: Clinical nursing education is an important component of the professional development of nursing students. Key informants such as nursing lecturers, nurse managers and clinical placement coordinators play an essential role in clinical education. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the perspectives of key informants on how the current state of clinical nursing education in Northern Ghana can be improved. Methods: The study used an exploratory qualitative design. Sixteen participants were purposively selected and data were collected through face-to-face individual interviews. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Findings: The study findings indicate that clinical nursing education can be improved by decreasing the overcrowding of students in the clinical setting, decreasing the theory-practice gap and providing relevant material resources in the clinical facilities. Also, nursing education institutions can improve clinical nursing education by equipping the skills laboratories, engaging an adequate number of lecturers, and carrying out clinical accompaniment. Conclusion: There is a need to improve clinical education through collaboration between nursing education institutions and clinical facilities. Effective collaboration will ensure the planning of clinical placement to avoid overcrowding, provision of continuous professional development programmes for preceptors and improvement in clinical supervision. Also, the provision of material resources in skills laboratories and clinical facilities to enhance clinical teaching should be given priority.