Enhancing the Prelicensure Clinical Learning Experience: A Student-Centered Learning Approach.

Background: Studies of the clinical learning environment document the importance of the student's clinical learning process.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to gather information on students' perceptions of their learning in the clinical environment.

Methods: A mixed-method strategy was used to explore nursing students' (N = 194) perceptions of their clinical learning experiences. Data were collected using the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI) survey and open-ended questions.

Results: The results showed that significant CLEI factors were affordances and engagement, student-centeredness, valuing nurses' work, and fostering workplace learning and that these factors were important to prelicensure nursing students' learning in the clinical environment. In addition, the thematic concepts that enhanced their learning were clinical faculty who exhibited strong communication, encouraged and challenged learners, and were readily available.

Conclusions: Clinical faculty in the clinical environment must be competent and able to support the prelicensure nursing student learner.