The Clinical Communication Program: An innovation in clinical learning for nursing students

Copyright 2008 The Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN) . Published version of the paper reproduced here with permission from the publisher.The Clinical Communication Program (CCP) is an online interactive learning program with multiple components to assist in preparing students, including those for who English is not their first language, for clinical practice in the Australian clinical nursing environment. The program is virtual and accessible by students, academics and clinical facilitators in any location (university, home or clinical setting). The program is interactive, using Adobe Flash Player, sound files, PDF files of current charts used in the health agencies. The program consists of a nursing handover of 16 patients incorporating elements from actual practice scenarios combined with visual and phonic elements. The aim is to increase nursing students knowledge and skill in oral and written communication and therefore to assist them in integrating into the clinical workplace. The ability to chart, to total and to make a judgment about a patient’s fluid intake and out put is also included as one of the many activities the CCP covers. Keywords: Clinical Communication, Nurses, International student