Student and staff relationships in a clinical practice model: Impact on learning

This qualitative study describes the perspectives of diploma nursing studen ts and staff nurses on the student-staff relationship and the impact this r elationship has on student learning. Staff and students, working in a clini cal practice model setting in a large urban hospital, participated in focus ed interviews following a 15-week clinical practice assignment. Findings re vealed there were several commonalities in staff and student perceptions of the relationship. Both staff and students described role perception, staff characteristics, and the workplace environment as important factors influe ncing the relationship and student learning. Students also identified worki ng in a collegial relationship as being important to learning and their soc ialization into the nursing profession.