Learning in clinical practice: the importance of peers

Roberts, D

Abstract

Aim To explore whether nursing students learn from each other and,
if so, how, when and where this learning takes place.
Method An interpretive ethnographic qualitative research study of a
group of pre-registration nursing students (n=15). Participant
observation was the primary tool of data collection. Students gave
their consent to be observed in classroom and clinical environments
throughout the three years of the pre-registration programme. Data
took the form of audio-taped conversations with and between
students together with field notes. A thematic analysis was
undertaken to reveal the student experience of peer learning.
Findings The importance of friendships to clinical learning for
students was apparent in three respects: friendships and learning in
clinical practice, survival skills and developing clinical skills. The
students talked about their friendships being strong and enduring
and enabling learning to take place. The students used their peers
as a resource to pass on survival skills and help each other to learn
how to be a nurse. Students also taught each other a variety of
clinical skills. Traditional notions of seniority were challenged
because the students appeared more concerned with what their
peers had experienced.
Conclusion Friendships were an important aspect of peer learning for
the students in this study and, more importantly, friendship fostered
learning. Peer learning in clinical practice is an informal and
underestimated aspect of clinical learning and is valued by students.

Citation

Roberts, D. (2007). Learning in clinical practice: the importance of peers. Nursing Standard, 23(12), 35-41

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2007
• Deposit Date: May 10, 2011
• Journal: Nursing Standard
• Print ISSN: 0029-6570
• Publisher: RCN Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 35-41