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Background: Mandatory placement-based work-integrated learning (WIL) poses challenges for nursing students who work whilst studying. The financial burden of WIL links to other known direct and indirect challenges, yet no Australian study has quantified the financial challenges resulting from attending mandatory WIL placements. Placement-based WIL costs may preclude some students from completing WIL, which may impact student attrition and the future health workforce. Aim: To investigate Australian nursing students’ financial challenges related to mandatory WIL. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey conducted with nursing students from nine Australian universities across five Australian states. The 28-question survey investigated the location of, and travels to, the most recent WIL placement; and students’ employment, accommodation, financial support, expenses and debts, and financial strain pertaining to WIL placements. Results: Overall, 2,359 students participated. The majority were employed (84%); 65% of these reported that they were unable to work during WIL, affecting their employment. One-third incurred a financial liability from their placement, 79% reported financial hardship, and 73% found their placement stressful due to financial strain. Financial issues affected 62% of students’ health and wellbeing. Discussion: Financial pressures related to WIL impact nursing students. While students have strategies to reduce these pressures, universities can also better manage their placement preferencing and support of students to reduce financial impacts of placement-based WIL on students. Conclusions: Nursing students face substantial financial challenges related to placement-based WIL. Scholarship programs and other forms of support are required to assist nursing students to undertake WIL.

Interprofessional learning (IPL) is vital for developing work-ready graduates of tertiary health professions and enhancing outcomes of patients with chronic pain. Twenty-two students from six health professions participated in or co-facilitated components of a 6-week group chronic pain management program. Twelve community clients with chronic pain and one family member participated. The program was piloted through the University of Tasmania Exercise Physiology Clinic and consisted of an initial assessment, weekly 1-hour group education sessions, and a 1-hour individualized, supervised exercise session. The program was evaluated using a constructivist approach via an investigator developed survey. Seven students and nine clients responded. A conventional content analysis was undertaken. Three categories were identified from students: Importance of IPL, Understanding Chronic Pain, and Improvement Suggestions. Three categories were identified from clients including Beneficial Aspects, Positive Peer Support, and Positive Pain Outcomes. Results indicate the program was beneficial for student learning and improved pain outcomes for participants. The model demonstrates value to student IPL and the potential to flexibly offer a real-world learning experience across many health professions, whilst addressing some of the common challenges associated with implementing IPL within curricula. The outcomes offer ways to explore sustainable implementation of the program long term.

Reablement is described as a goal directed intervention with a view to maintain or improve the independence of clients through "doing with, rather than doing for". As a relatively new concept in care, lack of specific skills in reablement is not uncommon, however, intrinsic values aligned with reablement are beneficial to organisations providing care and support to clients. The aim of this study is to develop a pre-employment questionnaire to assess readiness for a reablement approach to care as a step towards developing a reablement culture across organisations. A questionnaire based on activities of daily living (ADL), developed by the research team in consultation with a local community-based care organisation, was completed by 166 staff members at a community-based care organisation in Tasmania across several timepoints during and following reablement education sessions in 2018. The scores from these questionnaires were utilised to develop a questionnaire appropriate for determining readiness for reablement prior to employment within the organisation. Over a period of twelve months, a total of 407 Reablement Readiness Questionnaires were submitted by staff, indicating high levels of willingness to engage in reablement prior to and following the education sessions. Exploratory factor analyses were performed, and the construct validity and internal consistency of the emerging factors were assessed. An exploratory factor analysis indicated that ADL, in relation to reablement, consist of three dimensions-Lifestyle, My body and Connecting. The corresponding questions were subsequently built into an online questionnaire for pre-employment use. This questionnaire also has potential benefit in recruitment of staff to other community service organisations, to ascertain their readiness for reablement prior to beginning a variety of different roles within client care and support.

Health professionals require specific knowledge and a broad range of skills and attributes to work and reside in rural environments. It is vital students are offered the opportunity to undertake a rural professional experience placement (PEP) to ensure they develop a breadth of understanding of healthcare practice with opportunities to apply for rural positions after graduation. As such, it is imperative students have a positive rural placement experience which extends to their supervisors. Past research identifies barriers to a positive health placement experience relates to limited exposure to diverse placement environments and multidisciplinary learning opportunities for students and supervisors (Smith et al., 2017). To overcome these barriers the Whole of Community Facilitator (WOCF) model of support was implemented in fourteen locations throughout rural Tasmania. This model engages a dedicated health professional who is responsible for learning and teaching and support for students and supervisors, whilst also building capacity and capability of additional organisations to host students. The WOCF is an important communication link between the student, healthcare organisation and students' universities. This paper examines the WOCF model of support stage one evaluation findings. Overall, this model was well received by students, supervisors and organisations; particularly in the areas of student welcoming and learning and teaching, support and guidance. However, the WOCF role requires further development to address their competing work demands, time constraints and healthcare organisation requirements. Despite these, the model enables healthcare organisations and supervisors to focus on preparing the next generation of rural health practitioners.

Aim: The aim of this scoping review is to explore the evidence by which community service providers have integrated reablement models of staff training and client assessment into practice. Background: The concept of reablement, which has emerged during the last two decades globally, has recently been defined by health experts from 11 countries through a Delphi study. Reablement is seen as a way to support integrated frameworks that achieve person-centred, long-term care and assistance across community settings. International research indicates there is some evidence of developing models of reablement that include staff training and individual components of client assessment. However, evidence of integrating reablement into interdisciplinary practice continues to be sparse. Methods: The review adopted the preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) approach. Inclusion criteria for the review related to community care, primary care, long-term care, and residential care. Populations of interest included service providers, interdisciplinary staff, trainers, and assessors. Results: A total of 11 papers were reviewed. The studies varied in their approach to reablement training and client assessment frameworks. Three studies included assessment of staff well-being. All included evidence-based, person-centred components that can be integrated across health care settings. Single disciplinary approaches were used in all studies and some included training evaluation. Conclusion: This review has identified that currently reablement models are not yet embedded as frameworks for practice by community service providers in primary health care settings. Different programmes of training and assessment are being designed based on single disciplinary approaches and the context in which they are delivered. Further developmental work is required to integrate the components of discipline-specific training programmes within interdisciplinary frameworks. This will achieve not only an integrated framework for delivery across settings but also further the success of ‘ageing in place’ policy.

The Whole of Community Facilitator model provides support for healthcare students’ professional experience placements (PEP) in rural regions in Tasmania. In Tasmania, rural PEP is challenged as healthcare facilities are often small and have limited capacity for staff to devote considerable time to supervising students during PEP. Recruitment and retention of the rural health workforce in Tasmania is sometimes difficult because the island State is geographically distant from mainland Australia, and predominantly classified as a regional, rural, or remote area. The University of Tasmania, College of Health and Medicine (the College) explored various initiatives to support rural workforce sustainability, and the project discussed addresses this issue by promoting rural healthcare facilities as potential employment destinations for students upon completion of their course. The model supports the delivery of high-quality supervision to students whilst undertaking rural PEP, to foster positive experiences and potentially influence their future career choices. A successful exemplar was trialled in 2012 and implemented statewide in 2017 using a Whole of Community Facilitation (WOCF) model. The initiative supports host facilities, supervisors, host staff, and students and promotes positive placement experiences. The initiative was designed in consideration of Tasmania’s rurality, and uses a flexible and responsive framework.

Reablement is described as a person‐centred, goal‐directed intervention with a view to regain, maintain or improve the independence of older clients. Although evidence to support the use of reablement as a multidisciplinary, home‐based intervention for community‐dwelling older adults is increasing, there is limited knowledge about what it means for care staff who provide client‐based services. This study, which was nested in a larger program evaluation, used a descriptive qualitative approach to explore direct care staff and care coordinator experiences of translating a reablement training program into practice for older people in a regional Australian community. Two months after the training program four focus groups were conducted with 13 care coordinators to assimilate staff experiences with development of care plans, systems, processes and practices of reablement. In addition, four direct care staff took part in individual interviews, which centred on eliciting their experience using the reablement approach with clients. Results from the care coordinator focus groups and the direct care staff interviews highlight the importance of reablement staff training and the involvement of staff in the development and delivery of a reablement approach to client‐centred care. A number of organisational and client‐centred challenges such as communication, functional partnerships, staff education and resourcing are also uncovered in this research into the development of a reablement‐focused care service in a regional setting. Overall there is support for the dominating discourse around healthy ageing and the policy approach of ageing in place to support wellness.

Interprofessional learning (IPL) is vital for developing work-ready health graduates and enhancing outcomes of people living with persistent pain. Our aim was to pilot an authentic IPL workshop on persistent pain in an Exercise Physiology Clinic. We also sought to explore the application of Adult Learning and Social Identity theories in understanding learning outcomes. Thirty students from five health disciplines participated in a half-day workshop on IPL and persistent pain, facilitated by multidisciplinary staff. Workshop activities included authentic, simulated case studies and problem-based learning. A mixed-methods, pre-post survey showed significant increases in students’ confidence in understanding their own and others’ discipline roles in managing persistent pain (p < 0.001), readiness for IPL (p = 0.046) and self-efficacy (p < 0.001). These increases were supported by qualitative outcomes, which were mapped onto Adult Learning and Social Identity theory. A preliminary conceptual framework was developed incorporating proposed learning mechanisms This innovative workshop, delivered through an Exercise Physiology clinic, formed an effective learning environment, increasing understanding of discipline roles generally and in the pain context. It led to a preliminary conceptual framework to understand learning processes underpinned by theory. There is potential for application of this IPL approach for other chronic conditions. Persistent (or chronic) pain, is defined as pain experienced every day for three months or more in the previous six-month period and affects at least one in five Australians (Access Economics, 2007). Persistent pain is associated with ageing, lower socio-economic status, less employment participation and poorer health status (Blyth et al., 2001). In 2018 in Australia, the overall cost of persistent pain was estimated to be $139.3 billion and the nation’s third most costly health problem (Pain Australia, 2020). In Tasmania, an island state of Australia with a population of just over half a million people, the persistent pain problem is compounded by an ageing population, increased prevalence of chronic disease, higher lifestyle risk factors, lower educational attainment and workforce participation and higher poverty rates relative to the rest of Australia (Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2018). Although recommendations that persistent pain be assessed and managed with a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach are widely accepted (Gatchel et al., 2007), less than 10% of the Australian pain population accesses multidisciplinary care due to geographical challenges and service availability and access (Pain Australia, 2020). Tasmania, characterised by higher geographical dispersion across rural and remote areas is no exception, with access worsening with remoteness (DHHS, 2018). As the Tasmanian (and Australian) population ages, the need for a skilled health workforce to manage the growing and increasingly complex demands for persistent pain presentations will increase. This need has prompted calls for the development and enhancement of multidisciplinary undergraduate education programs (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2012; Pain Australia, 2011).

Background In preparation for future needs of the health workforce there has been an increase of student enrolments into health-related courses resulting in competing demands for quality professional experience placements. Consequently, additional student and preceptor support is necessary to ensure positive learning outcomes for students placed in rural areas. Aim To evaluate a whole of community facilitator model of support for nursing students and their preceptors in rural practice settings. Methods An evaluation approach included a needs analysis; literature review and online surveys from preceptors, facilitators and nursing students. Findings The results of the needs analysis and surveys identified how the whole of community facilitator model contributed to supporting preceptors to build placement capability and promote workforce development. The results revealed benefits to students and preceptors. Emerging themes from responses centred on the interrelationship between the learning, teaching and healthcare environments. Conclusion Preceptors recognised the value of the whole of community facilitator model through their contribution of clinical and educational information, resources, modelling professional development, and provision of support. It was acknowledged multiple placement opportunities within a single community, enriched student experiences. With refinement, this model has potential to contribute to workforce development in other rural placement environments. To review the effectiveness of the model of facilitation, this paper focuses on the perspective of preceptors.

 The health profession workforce is challenged by the increased numbers of undergraduate students requiring supervised experiences in environments where service delivery is the primary goal. Given the increased need to recruit and retain suitably qualified and educationally prepared staff into these sometimes under resourced locations, guidance of health profession students, in particular students of nursing, in rural areas of Tasmania is a topical issue. This situation was acknowledged in 2010 when the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Health and Ageing sponsored a local project to increase the number of opportunities for students to undertake professional experience within non-traditional and rural healthcare settings. The project goals included identifying and acknowledging those healthcare professionals who supervised learners; providing guidance, mentorship and resources; and building capability and capacity in environments to host students. On project completion, further Commonwealth funding became available through Health Workforce Australia to continue the project aims. Over six years, an educational process focusing on the needs of rural healthcare professionals related to supervision and support of undergraduate nursing students was established. An evaluative approach enabled the use of Weimer’s personal accounts of change methodology to analyse and critique the application of developed learning and teaching resources. Initially resource development focused on current knowledge, skills and understandings of supervision of learners by health professionals in practice. From the findings, the scope of support broadened to include development and delivery of workshops to enable the supervisors of students to develop a pedagogical understanding of learning and teaching in healthcare settings. Evaluation suggested supervisors require guidance and mentorship related to the ‘how’ of learning and teaching. More specifically they wanted synchronous and asynchronous access to consistent and contemporary learning and teaching information in a timely manner. Given their geographic isolation, this educational support was delivered in a variety of innovative ways, including digital resources, online programs, videoconferencing and face-to-face learning opportunities. This paper outlines the processes and outcomes of developing a collaborative approach to increasing the capability and capacity of health professionals, in particular registered nurses, who choose to supervise undergraduate students during their rural workplace-based professional experience. Â

In this chapter, we consider two case studies where the Interpretive Framework was applied to contexts other than education. The first case study was concerned with improving the professional experience programme for nursing and medical students who undertook placement at a healthcare organisation (HCO). In the second case study, the Interpretive Framework was applied to a project to establish two medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) to better support people with mental health issues to deal with legal problems. The adaptability of the Interpretive Framework becomes evident when, in the first case, it was used to evaluate and improve an existing learning partnership between the university and a HCO, while in the second, it was used to support the establishment of a new partnership between lawyers and mental health clinics. The stakeholders reported that the Interpretive Framework was, with minor adjustments to language, readily adapted to their contexts.

Supervision and support is central to sustainability of clinical placement experiences of undergraduate nurses, but open to influences that impact nurses' capacity to undertake the role. Whilst supervision of learners is integral to the role of health care professionals, the primary responsibility is to deliver safe and effective care. Supervision of learners in practice is impacted by low levels of organisational support, variable individual preparedness, and lack of feedback and recognition for the role from education and industry partners. Over a period of five years the Quality Clinical Placement Evaluation research team, consisting of a partnership between health care and tertiary sectors have developed, and utilised a practice development approach to understand and support the quality of clinical placement for undergraduates and supervising ward nurses involved in Tasmanian clinical placement programs. Importantly, the approach evolved over time to be a flexible three step program supporting the translation of findings to practice, comprised of an education session related to supervision support; survey distribution to undergraduates and supervising ward nurses following clinical placement; and workshops where stakeholders come together to consider findings of the survey, their experience and the local context, with resultant actions for change. This paper reports on findings from the program after successful implementation in urban tertiary hospitals as it was implemented in non-traditional clinical placement settings, including community, aged care and rural settings. Feedback from clinicians identifies the utility of the three step program across these settings. The unique partnerships and approach to evaluating, understanding and improving quality of clinical placements has potential for transferability to other areas, with the value of findings established for all stakeholders.

This paper reports on the design of a program that aims to prototype teaching aged care facilities in Australia. Beginning in two Tasmanian residential aged care facilities, the intent of the program is to support large-scale inter-professional student clinical placements, positively influence students’ attitudes toward working in aged care and drive development of a high-performance culture capable of supporting evidence-based aged care practice. This is important in the context of aged care being perceived as an unattractive career choice for health professionals, reinforced by negative clinical placement experiences. The Teaching Aged Care Facilities Program features six stages configured around an action research/action learning method, with dementia being a key clinical focus.

Summary Background Globally, rising rates of dementia indicate the need for more nurses skilled in caring for people with this condition. However nursing students may not acquire the requisite knowledge from existing undergraduate curricula. Objectives To investigate the dementia knowledge of second-year nursing students before and after a supported placement in a residential aged care facility. Assessment of the level of knowledge of dementia is important to provide evidence of the need to enhance dementia learning in the nursing curriculum. Design A pre-post control-intervention questionnaire study. Settings 16 Tasmanian residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Participants 99 Tasmanian second-year nursing undergraduate students (52 intervention, 47 control). Methods Second year nursing students were engaged in a three week RACF clinical placement at one of the 14 control facilities or one of the 2 involved in the development of teaching aged care facilities. Pre/post data were collected using the 21-item ‘Dementia Knowledge Assessment Tool 2.0’ and demographic survey questions, and analysed using descriptive analyses and nonparametric significance tests. Results The data showed that these nursing students had a poor knowledge of dementia, with limited understanding of key items relevant to their clinical practice. Knowledge of dementia was significantly improved after students' participation in supported clinical placements at an intervention residential aged care facility. This knowledge improvement was significantly higher than that of students who attended clinical placements at control facilities. Conclusions A well-supported clinical placement at a residential aged care facility can improve nursing students' knowledge of dementia, in particular in relation to aspects directly relevant to their clinical practice.

Support for nursing students in rural and non-traditional health environments within Tasmania is predominately undertaken by preceptors. It is recognised that preceptors who work within these environments, require support in their role and opportunities to communicate with academic staff within universities. Multiple methods of information distribution support and networking opportunities provide preceptors with flexible options to keep them abreast of the student learning process. This paper presents survey findings from preceptors in rural and non-traditional professional experience placement environments taken from a pilot project regarding the implementation of video conferencing forums for education and peer networking in Tasmania. The purpose of the evaluation was to establish whether video conferencing met the requirements of preceptors' understanding of learning and teaching requirements during students' professional experience placement. The findings reveal preceptors' workload pressures and the need for organisational support were key barriers that prevented preceptor participation.

Aim The study aimed to identify the potential for aged care placements to deliver benefits for second year nursing students when conducted within a supportive framework with debriefing and critical reflection opportunities. Background Given the ageing population and complex care needs of aged care facility residents, exacerbated by the high prevalence of dementia, the healthcare workforce's ability to meet older people's care needs is paramount. Yet research shows that nursing students are disengaged from aged care. Methods Using a quasi-experimental mixed method design within an action research framework, 40 students were allocated a 3-week supported placement in 2011–2012 at one of the two intervention residential aged care facilities in Tasmania, Australia. Staff formed mentor action research groups in each facility and participated in a pre-placement capacity-building programme. Thirty-nine students were placed across 14 control facilities. Data were collected via meetings with students and pre-post placement questionnaires on placement experiences, attitudes and dementia knowledge. Results The intervention facility placement programme led to mentors and students being well prepared for the placement and to students experiencing enhanced teaching and learning derived from high levels of mentor support and increased autonomy. Students' knowledge, understanding and attitudes around aged care and dementia improved. Discussion Mentors working together within an action research framework can provide a supported residential aged care placement for nursing students that improves students' aged care attitudes and understandings. Conclusion and Implications for Nursing and Health Policy Provision of quality, supported aged care student placements is vital to prepare a new generation of nurses who will have to deal with the complex chronic healthcare needs associated with an ageing population.

Aims and objectives: To examine nursing student placement preferences submitted as online comments to a university’s placement management system, to inform strategies for positive residential aged care experiences. Background: There are predicted shortages of nurses to service an ageing population. Clinical placements undertaken by undergraduate nursing students help shape their attitudes and are a key determinant of career decision-making, yet there is little research about why students prefer particular placement areas. Design: Analysis of qualitative data from a placement management system. Methods: Of 6,610 comments received between 2007–2014, 607 related to aged care and were coded according to preferences for being placed in a residential aged care facility, with reasons for this preference thematically coded and quantified. Results: Four hundred and one comments (66.1%) related to students requesting not to be allocated residential aged care for the upcoming placement, primarily due to previous experience in the sector; 104 (17.1%) referred to aged care in a neutral manner, focusing on conflict of interest; 102 (16.8%) related to a request for an aged care placement. Conclusions: The student nurse comments characterise students as being focused on maximising their learning, while considering prior experience. In some cases, increased exposure to aged care is considered to offer limited learning opportunities, which is concerning and suggests that both the tertiary and aged care sectors have a joint responsibility to pursue recognition of aged care nursing as a specialised, highly skilled role. Relevance to clinical practice: Nursing programme providers should ensure curriculum content and exposure to aged care placement clearly identify the complexities of care and provide genuine opportunities for knowledge acquisition and skill development based on multifaceted resident care needs. This will support both those interested in a future aged care career and those undecided.

The residential aged care sector is reportedly a less attractive career choice for nursing students than other sectors. Research shows that students are often fearful of working with residents with dementia when they are inadequately supported on clinical placements by aged care staff. Thirty first-year nursing students attended a 2-week placement in one of two Tasmanian aged care facilities as part of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre Teaching Aged Care Facilities Program, which aims to provide students with a quality aged care placement focusing on dementia palliation. Placement experience and dementia knowledge were evaluated through preplacement and postplacement questionnaires and weekly feedback meetings with mentors and students. Students had more positive attitudes related to aged care and higher dementia knowledge at the end of placement. Students described their interactions with residents with dementia and thought that the placement had increased their capacity to provide quality care to these residents. The findings indicate that residential aged care placements can be productive learning environments for novice nursing students. [ J Nurs Educ. 2014;53(7):410–414.]

As part of a regional School of Nursing and Midwifery's commitment to addressing recruitment and retention issues, approximately 90% of second year undergraduate student nurses undertake clinical placements at: multipurpose centres; regional or district hospitals; aged care; or community centres based in rural and remote regions within the State. The remaining 10% undertake professional experience placement in urban areas only. This placement of a large cohort of students, in low numbers in a variety of clinical settings, initiated the need to provide consistent support to both students and staff at these facilities. Subsequently the development of an audio teleconferencing model of clinical facilitation to guide student teaching and learning and to provide support to registered nurse preceptors in clinical practice was developed. This paper draws on Weimer's 'Personal Accounts of Change' approach to describe, discuss and evaluate the modifications that have occurred since the inception of this audio teleconferencing model (Weimer, 2006).

courtney-pratt h., fitzgerald m., ford k., marsden k. & marlow a. (2012) Quality clinical placements for undergraduate nursing students: a cross-sectional survey of undergraduates and supervising nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(6), 1380–1390. Abstract Aim. This article is a report of a mixed method study of the quality of clinical placements for second year undergraduate nursing students in an acute care hospital. Background. In response to the current and predicted workforce shortages, greater numbers of nursing undergraduate places are being offered at tertiary institutions. This means that requests for clinical places in hospitals to support undergraduate students has risen. Little is known about the impact of increased numbers on the quality of clinical placement as a learning experience and this is of concern as demand grows and the means of assessing capacity is still unknown. Methods. A 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire, including free text fields, was administered to undergraduates (n = 178), clinical facilitators (n = 22) and supervising ward nurses (n = 163) at two time points in 2009. The survey targeted the quality of the clinical placement in four domains: welcoming and belongingness; teaching and learning; feedback; confidence and competence. Findings. The findings demonstrated consistently high scoring of the clinical placement experience by both undergraduates and registered nurses. There were higher ratings of levels of support from clinical facilitators compared to supervising ward nurses evident in data associated with the items on the questionnaire relating to teaching and learning. Conclusion. The results are indicative of the professional commitment of nursing staff to support the next generation of nurses. The findings also give a mechanism to communicate outcomes of undergraduate support to nurses in practice, and highlight steps which can be taken to ensure high quality clinical placement continues.

Summary Background Clinical placement for students of nursing is a central component of tertiary nursing programs but continues to be a complex and multifaceted experience for all stakeholders. Objectives This paper presents findings from a longitudinal 3-year study across multiple sites within the Australian context investigating the quality of clinical placements. Design A study using cross-sectional survey. Settings Acute care, aged care and subacute health care facilities. Participants A total of 1121 Tasmanian undergraduate nursing students and 932 supervising ward nurses. Methods Survey data were collected at completion of practicum from participating undergraduate students and supervising ward nurses across the domains of “welcome and belonging,” “competence and confidence: reflections on learning,” and “support for learning.” In addition, free text comments were sought to further inform understandings of what constitutes quality clinical placements. Results Overwhelmingly quantitative data demonstrate high-quality clinical placements are provided. Analysis of free text responses indicates further attention to the intersect between the student and the supervising ward nurse is required, including the differing expectations that each holds for the other. While meaningful interpersonal interactions are pivotal for learning, these seemingly concentrated on the relationship between student and their supervisor—the patient/client was not seen to be present. Conclusions Meaningful learning occurs within an environment that facilitates mutual respect and shared expectations. The role the patient has in student learning was not made obvious in the results and therefore requires further investigation.

The residential aged care sector worldwide is facing difficulties with attracting and retaining nursing staff, in a climate of an ageing population with complex care needs. Nursing student experiences of clinical placements in aged care facilities shape attitudes towards working in this sector. However, there is little research about why students choose particular placement areas throughout their studies. This study examines nursing students’ preferences for clinical placements in residential aged care facilities. Data were 6,610 student comments provided as part of Bachelor of Nursing student entries in an Australian university’s Student Placement Management System (2007–2014 enrolments). Aged care was mentioned in 612 (9.3%) comments, with thematic analysis used to examine underlying reasons. Most (71%) comments related to a preference for their next placement to be located outside residential aged care, primarily due to a desire to broaden previous experience obtained in this setting. Some students referred to a placement outside aged care better suiting their career aspirations and to the aged care setting offering limited learning opportunities. A minority (15%) of comments only referred to aged care to specify facilities where they had a conflict of interest. A similar proportion (14%) related to a desire to be placed in residential aged care for the upcoming placement, often either as part of a range of specialties of interest to the student, or because aged care was perceived to offer relevant learning opportunities. The findings suggest ways to better meet the needs and desires of the future nursing workforce.

During the last three years the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Tasmania has used a needs assessment survey to explore the needs of organizations and nursing professionals that facilitate and clinically supervise Bachelor of Nursing students in the workplace. Findings from the survey indicated that staff at healthcare organizations wanted a communication strategy that was easily accessible by clinicians who supervised students during work integrated learning placements. In particular they wanted to receive timely information related to the role and function of supervisors in practice. The development of the digital strategy to strengthen the development of a community of practice between the University, organizations, facilities and clinical supervisors was identified as the key method of improving communication. Blogging and micro blogging were selected as methods of choice for the implementation of the digital strategy because they were easy to set up, use and enable equity of access to geographically dispersed practitioners in urban and rural areas. Change champions were identified to disseminate information about the strategy within their workplaces. Although clinicians indicated electronic communication as their preferred method, there were a number of human factors at a systems and individual level identified to be challenges when communicating with clinical supervisors who were based off-campus. Information communication technology policies and embedded culture towards social presence were impediments to using this approach in some organizations. Additionally, it was found that it is necessary for this group of clinicians to be educated about using digital methods to undertake their role as clinical supervisors in their varied clinical practice environments.

This article is a report of a mixed method study of the quality of clinical placements for second year undergraduate nursing students in an acute care hospital. In response to the current and predicted workforce shortages, greater numbers of nursing undergraduate places are being offered at tertiary institutions. This means that requests for clinical places in hospitals to support undergraduate students has risen. Little is known about the impact of increased numbers on the quality of clinical placement as a learning experience and this is of concern as demand grows and the means of assessing capacity is still unknown. A 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire, including free text fields, was administered to undergraduates (n = 178), clinical facilitators (n = 22) and supervising ward nurses (n = 163) at two time points in 2009. The survey targeted the quality of the clinical placement in four domains: welcoming and belongingness; teaching and learning; feedback; confidence and competence. Findings. The findings demonstrated consistently high scoring of the clinical placement experience by both undergraduates and registered nurses. There were higher ratings of levels of support from clinical facilitators compared to supervising ward nurses evident in data associated with the items on the questionnaire relating to teaching and learning. The results are indicative of the professional commitment of nursing staff to support the next generation of nurses. The findings also give a mechanism to communicate outcomes of undergraduate support to nurses in practice, and highlight steps which can be taken to ensure high quality clinical placement continues.

The paper describes the processes and outcomes of a major curriculum innovation which was conducted by a collaborative multi-disciplinary team (nurse academics, educational developers and software developers). The paper argues that collaborative professional development in pedagogical innovation in nursing can be successfully supported by action learning as a framework for practice. In presenting this argument the paper draws on the experience of the School of Nursing and Midwifery (SNM) at the University of Tasmania in integrating high-fidelity simulation-based learning into an existing undergraduate case-based learning curriculum in the three year Bachelor of Nursing (BN).