The impact of clinical skills training on hospital nursing care towards acquisition of improved care quality : a systematised review

Aim: The study aim is to review the literature regarding the impact of clinical skills training on the quality of care delivery in the hospital setting. Objectives: To determine the extent to which clinical skills training is evidenced by improved nursing care quality. To conduct a critical systematic search on nurses' perceptions of clinical skills training, how it meets their learning needs, the barriers to its implementation, and the contributing organisational concerns. To critically explore studies done in a global context focusing on the clinical skills training influence to nursing practice. To identify relevant theories that can support the successful implementation of skills training in healthcare practice. Design: A systematised review which summarises the multiple studies retrieved utilising systematic manner of searching. Mixed studies of the qualitative and quantitative study were compiled and analysed using a combined qualitative analysis and qualitative narrative synthesis. Data sources: Six databases were searched. Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online Library. Key journals were hand searched from the university library, reference tracking was done, and grey literature was checked. Lastly, the professional support of the department librarian was sought during the initial stage of the finding of evidence. Results: From a total of 1,023 articles that were initially found, a total of ten studies were included for the review. It included two quasi-experimental studies, five qualitative methods, and three observational studies (2 cross-sectional and 1 cohort), that evaluated the impact of clinical skills training to nursing practice or care quality, or both. All articles were then critically appraised using the appraisal tool developed by Long and Godfrey (2004). Conclusions: Continuing staff development is seen as beneficial in order to adapt to the rapid changes in healthcare delivery services. Developing an educational assessment tool addressed towards the evaluation of clinical based teaching should be given fundamental focus as it can define and evaluate the impact of knowledge transfer upon completion of a training course. Further research that addresses the impact of nursing training to clinical practice, specifically addressed to the low-income health care organisations is recommended. Funding Acknowledgement: Type of funding sources: None