The nursing student's viewpoints on influential clinical instructor in Jahrom University of Medical Sciences

Clinical teachers have an important role in creating an environment for effective clinical teaching to students. In addition, the faculty has a significant impact on the student's feeling of success or failure in professional competence. This study was performed to determine the characteristics of an influential instructor according to the nursing student's viewpoints in Jahrom University of Medical Sciences.

In this cross-sectional survey, 75 nursing students of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences were selected by census sampling method. The data collection tool was a valid and reliable questionnaire consisting of 4 domains including professional competence, interpersonal relationship, personality characteristics, and teaching ability. The data were analyzed by SPSS.

The results showed that influential clinical teacher must be professionally competent (mean=4.4 ± 0.80), have interpersonal relationships (mean=4.2 ± 0.96) have good personality characteristics (mean=4.1 ± 0.95), and have high eaching ability (mean=4 ± 0.89). According to the students, the most important characteristics of an influential clinical instructor are having interest in patient care (98.4%), having sufficient professional knowledge (80%), explaining and demonstrating new nursing techniques (80%), performing nursing skills procedures (86.3%), being honest with the students and creating motivation in students (83%).

The nursing student's viewpoints indicated that influential clinical instructor has an important role in promoting quality nursing experience and in getting knowledge, professional skills and attitude. Nursing faculty should plan for promoting professional competency in clinical instructors.