Abstract
Traditional clinical models (TCMs) in nursing education have proven inadequate in helping students achieve learning outcomes3 and preparing them for clinical practice. The TCM involves faculty supervising up to ten students, each assigned one patient, which has been the standard for over 30 years4. However, TCMs fail to effectively align clinical experiences with educational objectives, limiting the breadth of student learning and their readiness for practice.1,3 In the Fundamentals of Nursing course where this pilot was implemented, students learned nursing skills in the lab before transitioning to their first clinical experience. Students attended a weekly lab for nine weeks, a simulation experience for one week, then transitioned to the clinical environment for three TCM experiences. This led to a 10-week delay between when a skill was learned and when it was implemented, a limited number of patient encounters, and a significant demand on students’ cognitive load. In response, a pilot was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Scaffolded Clinical Model (SCM) within a Fundamental of Nursing course compared to the TCM. The purpose of this presentation is to share insights and implications from the development, implementation, and evaluation of the pilot. The SCM, based on Experiential Learning Theory2 and cognitive load principles5, included four sequential clinical experiences focused on different aspects of nursing care that increased in complexity and ensured timely skill application. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare students’ performance on skill validations, perceptions of the clinical model, and the number of patient encounters between students participating in each model. Results indicated that SCM students had significantly higher success rates in intravenous piggyback and injection skill validations on their first and second attempts and engaged with more patients overall. While the differences in student perceptions between the two models were not statistically significant, a greater percentage of SCM students reported that the model facilitated timely skill implementation and enhanced their learning and confidence. Findings suggest that clinical models incorporating experiential learning and cognitive neuroscience principles, like the SCM, can improve educational outcomes and better prepare nursing students for the complex practice environment.
Notes
References:
1. Bennett, L. L., Grimsley, A., Grimsley, A., & Rodd, J. (2017). The gap between nursing education and clinical skills. ABNF Journal, 28(4), 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2007.05.005 PMID:17629596
2. Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (Vol. 1). Prentice-Hall.
3. Leighton, K., Kardong-Edgren, S., McNelis, A. M., Foisy-Doll, C., & Sullo, E. (2021). Traditional clinical outcomes in pre-licensure nursing education: An empty systematic review. Journal of Nursing Education, 60(3), 136–142. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20210222-03
4. Putnam, A., & Knowlton, M. (2022). Undergraduate supervised clinical practicum activities: An enlightening exploration. Journal of Nursing Education, 61(10), 591-592. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20220803-04
5. Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 12(2), 257-285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog1202_4
Sigma Membership
Alpha
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quasi-Experimental Study, Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Competence, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Curriculum Development, Nursing Education, Traditional Clinical Models, TCM
Recommended Citation
Stuffle, Megan and Herron, Gina, "Transforming Clinical Education: Scaffolding to Enhance Student Learning and Competency" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 78.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/78
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Transforming Clinical Education: Scaffolding to Enhance Student Learning and Competency
Seattle, Washington, USA
Traditional clinical models (TCMs) in nursing education have proven inadequate in helping students achieve learning outcomes3 and preparing them for clinical practice. The TCM involves faculty supervising up to ten students, each assigned one patient, which has been the standard for over 30 years4. However, TCMs fail to effectively align clinical experiences with educational objectives, limiting the breadth of student learning and their readiness for practice.1,3 In the Fundamentals of Nursing course where this pilot was implemented, students learned nursing skills in the lab before transitioning to their first clinical experience. Students attended a weekly lab for nine weeks, a simulation experience for one week, then transitioned to the clinical environment for three TCM experiences. This led to a 10-week delay between when a skill was learned and when it was implemented, a limited number of patient encounters, and a significant demand on students’ cognitive load. In response, a pilot was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Scaffolded Clinical Model (SCM) within a Fundamental of Nursing course compared to the TCM. The purpose of this presentation is to share insights and implications from the development, implementation, and evaluation of the pilot. The SCM, based on Experiential Learning Theory2 and cognitive load principles5, included four sequential clinical experiences focused on different aspects of nursing care that increased in complexity and ensured timely skill application. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare students’ performance on skill validations, perceptions of the clinical model, and the number of patient encounters between students participating in each model. Results indicated that SCM students had significantly higher success rates in intravenous piggyback and injection skill validations on their first and second attempts and engaged with more patients overall. While the differences in student perceptions between the two models were not statistically significant, a greater percentage of SCM students reported that the model facilitated timely skill implementation and enhanced their learning and confidence. Findings suggest that clinical models incorporating experiential learning and cognitive neuroscience principles, like the SCM, can improve educational outcomes and better prepare nursing students for the complex practice environment.
Description
Traditional clinical models (TCMs) in nursing education have not adequately achieved learning outcomes or prepared students for practice. A Scaffolded Clinical Model (SCM) was designed and implemented based on cognitive neuroscience and experiential learning principles with positive outcomes on student learning and clinical immersion. This presentation will provide insights and recommendations for designing innovative clinical models to better support student learning and readiness for practice.