Supervision of nursing students in clinical practice

Background and purpose: Nurses have an important function as mentors for nursing students in clinical practice. Several studies show that patient-related tasks and organizational frameworks compete with the supervisor role, which is perceived as demanding. Nevertheless, most nurses find the supervisor role to be rewarding. There are few studies showing what nurses focus on in the role of supervisor. The purpose of this study is to explore what nurses consider important in their role as supervisors of nursing students in clinical practice. Method: The study has a hermeneutical approach, based on eight interviews with nurses who supervise students in specialized health care services. The transcribed texts are analysed using a hermeneutic method based on Gadamer's philosophy. Findings: The analysis resulted in four themes and four subthemes: Preconditions for a good learning process; mapping the learning assumptions of the students; assigning responsibilities in the supervision process; reflection and logs as tools in supervision. Condusion: The study shows that motivation and good relationships between the supervisors and the students were important when preparing for a good learning process. The supervisors put great emphasis on students' attitudes. They saw themselves as communicators of knowledge and took most of the responsibility for successful supervision. Reflection and logs were used to optimize the students' professional development.