A student-centered clinical educational unit – Description of a reflective learning model

A model of a student-centered Clinical Education Unit (CEU) within an undergraduate nursing education programme that emphasises collaboration in communion between students, hospital and faculty members as an alternative to bridge the gap between theory and practice in nursing is described.

Abstract

This article describes a model of a student-centered Clinical Education Unit (CEU) within an undergraduate nursing education programme. The model comprises three various levels of learning in the nursing education programme at School of Health Sciences, University College of Borås, Sweden. The three levels of learning correspond to the first, second and third programme years of the nursing education. Each level of learning is represented by clinical training in three different hospital care settings. The educational model was developed through a co-operation between hospital representatives and nurse educators at the university college. The model is built on a human caring science perspective and knowledge that focuses on patients' lived experience of their care and illness. The model emphasises collaboration in communion between students, hospital and faculty members as an alternative to bridge the gap between theory and practice in nursing. Reflection and critical thinking are the vital components in a clinical learning environment.