Involvement of Registered Nurses in Clinical Teaching of Nursing Students in Central Hospitals of Malawi

Abstract

Clinical teaching is an active process that occurs in a variety of socio-cultural contexts and is one of the most important components in the training of nursing students. Registered Nurses play an important role in teaching and learning of student nurses. In Malawi, one of the roles of Registered Nurses is to teach student nurses in the clinical area. The purpose of the study was to determine the involvement of Registered Nurses in clinical teaching of nursing students in Central Hospitals of Malawi. Using a cross sectional study design, data were collected using a self administered questionnaire from a convenient sample of 105 Registered Nurses aged 22-56 years in the Central Hospitals of Malawi. These included Queen Elizabeth, Zomba, Kamuzu and Mzuzu Central Hospitals. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 20.0. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, Chi-Square and Fisher’s Exact were used to test associations among variables. The study revealed that 69.5% of respondents were involved in clinical teaching of student nurses while 30.5% were not involved. It was also found that 97.1% of the respondents had knowledge of clinical teaching and 97.1% had a low to moderate attitudes towards clinical teaching of student nurses. Majority (61.9%) of the respondents indicated that they had a high workload which affected their involvement in clinical teaching while 38.1% had a low workload. There was a significant positive correlation between involvement in clinical teaching and knowledge of the respondents (rs =.381, p<0.01). However, there was no significant relationship between involvement and attitude, workload and incentives. Recommendations were made to the Ministry of Health to deploy more Registered Nurses in Central Hospitals of Malawi to ease the workload and allow them to participate in clinical teaching. The Government and Nursing Training Institutions should train more Registered Nurses and Clinical Instructors in pedagogical concepts of clinical teaching and also strengthen skills and simulations, Laboratory methodology to enhance acquisition of clinical skills. Registered Nurses should also be encouraged to participate in clinical teaching.