Qualitative research into how generation Z nursing students perceive effective teaching strategies

Abstract

Purpose: There is a manifest correlation between the teaching approaches of clinical mentors and the learning outcomes realized by undergraduate students of nursing. Recent research has sought to comprehend how nursing students perceive the nature of successful guidance by mentors. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of awareness concerning student nurse perspectives of effective pedagogical strategies, not least in relation to Generation Z undergraduates enrolled on nursing programmes. To establish the desired criteria for instructors, it is essential that further in-depth scholarship is conducted. This research examines the manner in which Generation Z nursing undergraduates perceive the efficacy the teaching strategies employed by their clinical mentors.

Methods: The data collection approach employed in this study comprises a focus group technique, in accordance with qualitative methodology. Participants were recruited from the Caritas Institute of Higher Education (CIHE) using purposive sampling, up to the data saturation point. Each focus group comprised four participants. The inclusion criteria required all participants to be: (1) enrolled in the five-year Bachelor of Nursing (Honors) program, (2) born after 1995, and (3) personally cognizant with the mentorship process in previous clinical practicum. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted between November 2020 and February 2021, using ZOOM videoconferencing software, after which verbatim transcripts were prepared in accordance with thematic analysis.

Results: The Generation Z nursing undergraduates who participated in the current research reported that there were three successful teaching techniques, namely: the provision of opportunities, the offering of feedback, and the posing of pertinent questions. These techniques possess the potential to efficaciously combine theory with practice, thereby promoting autonomous learning among students. Moreover, the results indicate that case studies and knowledge sharing promote clinical education.

Conclusion: The current research confirms that clinical mentors should adapt their teaching strategies to accord with the requirements of Generation Z nursing students. Moreover, the crucial role played by mentors suggests that the training of students would benefit if mentors were instructed in the employment of effective teaching techniques.