ABSTRACT
AIM: The aim was to explore the psychometric properties with respect to the internal consistency reliability of the subject-specific questionnaire "Failing to Fail." DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the "Failing to Fail" scale. The sample included 336 Norwegian nurse mentors. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a five-factor structure of the "Failing to Fail" scale with adequate model fit. The factors were named as: (a) Insufficient mentoring competence; (b) Insufficient support in the working environment; (c) Emotional process dominates the assessment; (d) Insufficient support from the university; and (e) Decision-making detached from learning outcomes. The scale proved to be feasible to test whether mentors are Failing to Fail nursing students. The confirmatory factor analysis model supported the predictive validity of the "Failing to Fail" scale.
ABSTRACT
It is highly important that nursing students are well educated and become safe and competent practitioners. This article presents the findings from a quantitative study investigating if Norwegian mentors fail to fail nursing students not achieving the learning outcomes in clinical studies in the bachelor's programme in nursing, in addition to the factors influencing their decisions. A survey was conducted among nurse mentors in hospital- and home-based nursing care in two Norwegian municipalities, and 561 nurses answered the questionnaire. The findings indicate that mentors sometimes fail to fail nursing students in clinical studies. Important factors influencing this decision were that the students did not put the patient's life at risk and that the mentors gave the student the benefit of the doubt. The mentors in our study thought that failing to fail students was not related to personal challenges and burdens. They also felt a lack of support from the educational institution. The findings suggest some future directions for nurse education programmes. The training of mentors, especially in managing failing students, and better support from liaison lecturers from the educational institution are important. It is also suggested that nurse education programmes together with mentors discuss the distinction between unsafe practices and learning outcomes for clinical studies.
