Abstract:
Introduction: Being clinically competent is an essential component of any nursing
curricula to ensure that on completion the nursing graduates are able to practice
safely and effectively as a nurse. Clinical Self-Study Laboratories have become
increasingly popular in nursing education in recent years as a way of ensuring a variety
of skills are taught to the nursing students. These clinical skills laboratories are used
to teach communication and interpersonal skills, psychomotor skills, promote the
development of collaborative skills required in nursing as well as being able to help
integrate theory and practice [Morgan, R., 2006. Using clinical skills laboratories to
promote theory–practice integration during first practice placement: an Irish perspective.
Journal of Clinical Nursing 15, 155–161]. However, it is essential that these
programs be subject to routine quality assurance and effectiveness evaluation.
Methodology: The purpose of the study was to conduct a process evaluation of the
implementation of the Clinical Self-Study Laboratory (CSSL) in the School of Nursing,
University of KwaZulu-Natal. The process evaluation included a descriptive quantitative
satisfaction survey of first and third year Bachelor of Nursing students, a checklist
to assess the quality of the CSSL equipment and a retrospective record review of utilisation
of the CSSL by students.
Results: The CSSL appears to be well implemented and utilized by students. Students
reported that it was accessible and that the equipment in the laboratory was of a reasonable
quality. A few students reported dissatisfaction with some of the equipment
and requested that more equipment and trained personnel be made available.
