Factors Influencing The Involvement Of Preceptors In Clinical Teaching Of Student Nurses In Training Hospitals In Masaka District

Abstract

Introduction: Nurses and midwives are the backbone of health service delivery worldwide. Due to the critical position they hold in the health sector, emphasis is put on the quality of their training and competences during their preparation for effective service delivery (Barksdale, Newhouse, & Miller, 2014; Ministry of Health Uganda, 2012; WHO, 2016). Therefore a study on the factors influencing the involvement of preceptors in clinical teaching of student nurses in training hospitals in Masaka Referral and Kitovu Hospitals in Masaka district in August 2018 was carried out.

Methods: The study employed a descriptive and cross sectional study using quantitative method of data collection. A sample size of 98 respondents who were nurses and midwives was used. Respondents were selected by purposively and simple random sampling methods. Data was collected using a questionnaire.

Results: Multivariate analysis of factors influencing the involvement of preceptors in clinical teaching of student nurses in training hospitals in Masaka Referral Hospital and Kitovu Hospital that were significantly associated with involvement of preceptors in clinical teaching were education level (P=0.001), Religion (P=0.023), work experience (P=0.023), were supposed to be given money to teach student nurses at clinical area (P=0.001), belief nursing students respect Registered Nurses as practitioners (P=0.001), Registered Nurses consider nursing students as part of the nursing team (P=0.000), Would spend extra time with student nurses, even if the instructor would supervise them (P=0.005), Number of patients usually on ward/unit per day (P=0.000) and Number of student nurses usually on ward (P=0.000).

Conclusion: Results showed low preceptor involvement in clinical teaching at 41 (41.9%). This was mostly associated to personal factors mainly inadequate skills and negative attitude of the preceptors towards clinical teaching probably due to low motivation.

Recommendations: More nurses and midwives should be recruited to reduce the preceptor student ration and also be given on the job training to improve their skills.