Challenges nurse educators experience with development of student nurses’ clinical reasoning skills

Traditional teacher-centred teaching strategies do not always facilitate the development of desired clinical reasoning skills required for nursing practice. A multiphase study was conducted to facilitate a process of change towards improving educational practices in order to promote the development of undergraduate student nurses’ clinical reasoning skills. The study was conducted at a military nursing education institution. This paper reflects on Phase 1, where a descriptive, qualitative study was conducted to explore the challenges nurse educators experienced in utilizing teaching and learning strategies that could promote the development of clinical reasoning skills in undergraduate student nurses. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 16 nurse educators who were selected purposively. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and data were analysed for content. The findings indicate that the clinical learning environment, the military environment, and various role players in the environment are instrumental in nurse educators not utilizing educational practices that promote the development of clinical reasoning skills in undergraduate student nurses. Addressing nurse educator challenges and empowering them with the means, opportunity and skills to utilize student-centred teaching and learning strategies may contribute to the development of undergraduate student nurses’ clinical reasoning skills. Raising awareness of challenges nurse educators experience in implementing student-centred facilitation of learning can assist in developing strategies to ensure nurse educators become more student-centred in their teaching.