Pilot study: nursing students' perceptions of the environment in two different clinical models

Abstract

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of a modified Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (m-DREEM) tool used to evaluate the effects of different pedagogical approaches in a clinical learning environment on nursing students' learning perceptions. Methods: A sample consisting of 130 nursing students in two different models of clinical education was surveyed. Results: This pilot study demonstrated that m-DREEM yields a high internal consistency. This tool can be used to evaluate nursing students' perceptions of their clinical learning environment on the basis of five sub-scales: students' learning perceptions, facilitators, academic self-perception, atmosphere, social self-perception, and mentorship. Conclusion: A definitive and inferential relationship between sub-scales and clinical models, namely, block and non-block dispersed models, could not be determined because of the small sample size of the block clinical model. Hence, further research should be performed.