ABSTRACT
Clinical rotations in acute medical and psychiatric inpatient facilities are an essential component of the education for undergraduate nursing students. The benefits students receive from these clinical experiences have been documented, but no data have been reported regarding the advantages that students may bring to agencies. This exploratory study, which used a mail-back survey, asked adult health/medical-surgical nurses and mental health/psychiatric nurses in acute care units about the effects undergraduate nursing students had on staff time, staff development, quality of care, staff's personal satisfaction, and unit standards and practices during their clinical rotations. Results indicated that students contribute to the personal and professional satisfaction of the staff by offering opportunities for mentoring and reciprocal learning and allowing nurses to participate in students' professional development. Students also contribute to patient care.
Subject(s)
Attitude , Education, Nursing , Nursing Staff, Hospital , Preceptorship , Adult , Hospital Departments , Humans , Program Evaluation , United StatesABSTRACT
The authors used an interview questionnaire to assess competency to consent to voluntary admission in a group of 50 newly admitted psychiatric patients. Using a number of alternative definitions of competency with this sample of patients tested shortly after admission, they found that a majority of patients appeared to have severe impairment of competency. These results suggest limitations in the applicability of the legal model of informed consent to the psychiatric setting.
