The attitudes of student nurses toward clinical work

Clinical work in nursing education is an important component of the nursing curriculum aimed at actively engaging student nurses with the necessary skills needed for the nursing profession. The attitude of nursing students toward clinical work is becoming a topic of interest for nursing researchers. The objectives of the study were to determine the perspective of practicing nurses on students’ attitude toward clinical work. Structured and semi-structured questionnaires were administered to determine the attitude of nursing students towards clinical work from the perspective of 100 practicing nurses from Agogo Presbyterian Hospital. The results indicated that 63% of the respondents said nursing students reported late to work, 60% reported that students were absent from clinical work without seeking permission, and 64% reported they used mobile phones during clinical working hours. In addition, 41% of the respondents stated that the nursing students did not show commitment to clinical work. Also, the attitude portrayed by students had an influence on the way the medical and nursing staffs related to them. It is recommended that students should receive in-service training before going to the clinical area, so that they are aware of what is expected of them during clinical placement. Also, systems should be put in place to ensure that nursing students do not use mobile phones in the clinical environment. There should be preceptors in the ward to monitor and mentor student nurses. The nursing schools should periodically follow-up with practicing nurses, to assess the behaviors and attitudes of the nursing students.    Key words: Student nurse’s attitude, clinical work, nurse’s perception.