Strengths and Weaknesses of Clinical Education from the Viewpoints of Nursing and Midwifery Students in Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

Background and Objectives: The viewpoints of students as basic elements of education, can improve the process of education. Thus this study was designed to detect the Strengths and weaknesses of clinical education from the viewpoints of nursing and midwifery students. Methods: In this cross–sectional study, 150 senior nursing and midwifery students in Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences were asked about the strengths and weaknesses of clinical education using a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three sections including demographic characteristics, and the strengths and weaknesses of clinical education which was prepared based on five areas of the aims and educational programs, contact to students, educational environment, supervision and evaluation. Data analysis was done using t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficients and the value of p<0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The most important strengths points of clinical education included: considering the prerequisite of clinical education (79.7%), clarifying the students tasks (72.5%), on-time presence of trainers (88.7%) and trainees (84.2%), providing opportunities of patient care for students (68.5%), good relationship between educational supervisor and the students (56.5%), students' library use in hospital (62.5%) and taking practical exams at the end of each clinical education (58.5%). failing to ask students' views in planning the training program (84.9%), lack of congruence between the educational aims and personnel expectations (74.6%), stressful conditions for students (76.8%), lack of student support by personnel (85.5%), failing to use teaching aids (91.2%) and lack of supervising in clinical education (69%), were among the most important weaknesses of clinical education. Conclusion: with respect to educational aims and programs and educators, majority of students stated the strengths points more than the weaknesses, while in cases of communication with students, clinical environment, supervision and evaluation, the conditions were not much desirable and the weak points were more than the strong points.