Nursing students’ views and preferences regarding the Clinical Learning Environment in Morocco: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: A discrepancy between the clinical environment experienced by student nurses and the environment that mirrors their anticipated preferences is likely to diminish their satisfaction. This study aimed to explore the student nurses’ perceptions in clinical settings and investigate the interplay between the sociodemographic variables and the dimensions of the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional comparative survey design was used. Data collection was carried out using the Moroccan-validated version of the CLEI. Nursing students completed the expected form of the CLEI before their clinical placement and the actual form at its conclusion. Results: The preferred form demonstrated a marked superiority in all domains, revealing significantly higher scores than the actual form. The highest mean score for both actual and preferred clinical learning environments was for the subscale Involvement. The analysis showed no statistically significant differences based on gender, educational level, or clinical placement setting. Personalization emerged as the sole statistically significant ( P = 0.02,  2 = 0.03) disparity observed between the training institutes. Nurse branches exhibited significant disparities in satisfaction ( P = 0.03,  2 = 0.04). The findings indicate a strong correlation ( r = 0.68) between student satisfaction and personalization, involvement, and individualization. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed a significant gap between the preferred and actual clinical learning environment, and suggest that students desire a more positive environment, with more personalization, individualization, and involvement, to improve their satisfaction.