Explaining the status of clinical nursing education: a content analysis study in Iran

Abstract Introduction: Challenges and problems of clinical nursing education are the most important factor in determining the quality of nursing students' education. Frequent assessment of the quality of nursing education without considering the existing challenges is an ineffective activity in analyzing the situation of nursing education. Objective This study aimed to explain the status of clinical nursing education at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Methodology: A qualitative design based on the conventional content analysis approach was used. This study was conducted at the X University of Medical Sciences in 2018-2019. Data were drawn from 10 semi-structured focus group interviews with 110 nurses, head nurses, instructors, and students. Purposeful sampling was performed. The time and place of the interviews were chosen according to the participants. The interviews were analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman method by MAXQDA software. Results: 626 in-vivo codes, 46 primary codes, 8 subcategories (lack of attention to the evaluation process, non-participative evaluation, low staff educational cooperation, ineffective instructors, non-educational clinical space, student educational deficits, student drown in the clinic, non-participatory planning), and 3 main categories (planning challenges, implementing challenges and evaluation challenges) were obtained. Conclusion: Educational leaders must shift to three areas; democratic planning, wise implementation with frequent monitoring, and the use of modern clinical evaluation methods (Based on the participation of learners and other stakeholders)