Clinical Instructors' Strategies for Preventing Nursing Student Incivility during their Preparatory Training: A Qualitative Exploration

Incivility during the learning process has consequences for instructors and learners. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies clinical instructors use in the prevention of nursing students’ incivility during their preparatory nursing training.

This study was conducted using qualitative methods involving semi-structured interviews of clinical instructors who were selected by purposive sampling. 10 interviews were conducted and data saturation was achieved. The text of the interviews was transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis (Graneheim and Lundman 2004).

In order to prevent incivility, strategies included restating the rules and boundaries, culture shaping through group work, reenergizing the students, and coordinating instruction. Incivility requires a range of active management approaches and pre-planning to reduce incidence.

Clinical instructors and educational managers should continually monitor incivility within their educational systems and seek innovative and effective approaches to address issues as they arise. Incidence of incivility is an increasing likelihood and planning is necessary to raise awareness for students and instructors of these behaviors, in order to establish a closer working relationship and become familiar with each others’ perspectives. This will help foster a culture conducive to learning rather than conflict.